Lagan Valley Ulster Unionists opposed to their MP may withdraw a no confidence motion against Mr Jeffrey Donaldson so that he can more freely decide whether to leave or remain in the UUP.
Mr Donaldson, after losing Monday night's Ulster Unionist Council vote against Mr David Trimble, said he would postpone deciding on his political future until the no confidence vote was decided at the end of the month.
Mr Jim Dillon, chairman of the Lagan Valley constituency association and Trimble loyalist, said last night however that he favoured withdrawing the motion, which would put pressure on Mr Donaldson to arrive at a decision more speedily.
Mr Dillon held discussions last night with some of the 70 signatories to the no confidence motion against Mr Donaldson with a view to abandoning the motion. A decision on the motion is likely today, said Mr Dillon, a Lisburn councillor.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen, and the Northern Secretary, Mr Paul Murphy, in Dublin today will discuss the fallout from Monday's UUC vote.
On Monday the UUC actually voted twice on the same motion from Mr David Trimble opposing Mr Donaldson's motion calling for a flat rejection of the Hillsborough Declaration.
Mr Trimble's six-point motion opposed elements of what emerged from the Hillsborough negotiations such as an effective amnesty for the "on-the-runs"; demanded the retention of the Royal Irish Regiment; stressed that implementation of the Declaration hinged on the IRA ending all activity; and effectively left it up to the UUP leadership to decide policy in relation to the Declaration.
That motion was first taken as an amendment which Mr Trimble won by 54 per cent (440 votes) to 46 per cent (369 votes). Mr Donaldson's motion fell but on his insistence the amendment was taken as the substantive motion. Some delegates had left by that stage and the second vote resulted in Mr Trimble's favour, 56 per cent (446 votes) to 44 per cent (348 votes).
The two governments are relieved that Mr Trimble was not forced into a position of rejecting the Hillsborough Joint Declaration. Mr Cowen and Mr Murphy will attempt to chart a political course that would lead to Assembly elections in October.
Former DUP Assembly member and Lisburn councillor Mr Edwin Poots confirmed yesterday that his party in Lagan Valley has written to Mr Donaldson formally inviting him to join the party.
Mr Donaldson said he was not interested in forming another "unionist splinter group" but did not specify whether he would join the DUP, enter into some loose or more formal coalition type arrangement with the DUP, or even be open to remaining within the UUP.
The SDLP leader, Mr Mark Durkan, and Sinn Féin's chief negotiator Mr Martin McGuinness said the spotlight should not be on what Mr Donaldson does next but on whether Mr Trimble would campaign assertively in favour of the Belfast Agreement.