[A-List] UK state: Northern Ireland, UUP

["Michael Keaney" <michael.keaney@xxxxxx>]

Split looms as unionist MPs face expulsion
MICHAEL SETTLE
The Herald, 27 June 2003

THE Ulster Unionist party was heading for a historic split last night after
moves began to expel its three renegade MPs.

At an emergency meeting of party officers, it was decided that Jeffrey
Donaldson, David Burnside and the Rev Martin Smyth, the respective MPs for
Lagan Valley, South Antrim and Belfast South, should face a special
disciplinary committee.

However, senior UUP sources have told The Herald the rebels are likely to
jump before they are pushed.

Regardless of whether this happens, it seems clear a major realignment of
unionism in Northern Ireland is on the cards, pushing back even further the
prospect of elections and a return to devolved government at Stormont.

One immediate result of the decision to set up disciplinary proceedings was
the resignation as a party officer by Arlene Foster, who voted against the
decision.

She said: "I see this action as a vindictive action of a leadership team who
are detached from the people on the ground and who want to move against the
people who are in touch with the wider unionist community."

Earlier, an exasperated David Trimble made clear action had to be taken. The
UUP leader said: "We can't be expected to indefinitely put up with a
situation where there is a party within a party."

He admitted it had not been a good week for unionism, saying the decision
taken by "the three gentlemen" had triggered a crisis within the UUP and had
left it with no alternative but to set up a disciplinary committee.

The MP for Upper Bann added: "Perhaps there might now be a period of
reflection by them when they see what the consequences are, but at the end
of the day people do have to decide whether they are going to be members of
the party, whether they are going to follow through that membership by
supporting that party."

The three charges brought against the rebels included breaking their
election pledge to take the party whip and bringing the party into
disrepute.

Mr Donaldson, the leading member of the "gang of three" who, with his two
colleagues, resigned the party whip over the leadership's support for the
Belfast agreement and the joint declaration, said the attempt at
disciplinary action was effectively being made against half of the party.

At a recent meeting of the UUP's ruling council, Mr Trimble won 54% of the
vote, against Mr Donaldson's 46%.

Of the decision to set up a disciplinary committee, the Lagan Valley MP
said: "This will cause further division within the party and might result in
the party splitting, and if that is the course of action they want to take,
then so be it."

Mr Smyth, the party president, said he looked forward to defending himself
against the charges and warned those acting against him that they would
"reap what they sow".