Unionists to demand Sinn Fein expulsion
Efforts to prevent the collapse of the North’s political institutions are expected to continue today in the wake of last night’s court appearance of Sinn Fein’s Stormont office administrator, Denis Donaldson.
Mr Donaldson was accused in court of five counts of possessing information likely to be of use to terrorists.
This morning, Ian Paisley’s DUP and David Trimble, the UUP leader, are holding separate press conferences at which both parties will demand the British government expel Sinn Fein from the Executive.
The Taoiseach is expected to meet the Sinn Fein leader, Gerry Adams, early this week and in London a similar meeting between Mr Trimble and Tony Blair will go ahead either tomorrow or Wednesday.
Mr Trimble and his party will be on the attack this morning, demanding that the Northern Secretary, John Reid, act speedily to throw Sinn Fein off the Executive.
The DUP want a debate on the crisis and will be bringing pressure on the UUP to walk out if the British government doesn’t act within days.
