Resignation calls for Trimble and Donaldson
Anti-agreement Ulster Unionist Jeffrey Donaldson was today threatened with a special council meeting to call for his resignation.
Mr Donaldson, who repeated his call for UUP leader David Trimble to resign over his party being overtaken by the Democratic Unionists, confirmed that moves were being made to have him ejected.
“One of my colleagues indicated that there might be a requisition for a special meeting of the Ulster Unionist Council to call for my resignation but I don’t know how correct that is,” he said.
He was speaking after a meeting of the UUP Assembly group which had been billed as a showdown between the pro and anti-Agreement camps.
Mr Donaldson said he believed the only way forward for his party was for Mr Trimble to step down.
He refused to speculate on whether he would bid to become leader of the party.
“There isn’t a vacancy at the moment and a vacancy doesn’t arise naturally until the Ulster Unionist Council in March. That’s why I have chosen my words carefully and said that in the interests of rebuilding the party before the next election that the party leader should step aside.”
