Mr David Trimble was under mounting pressure from senior colleagues and close friends last night not to resign as First Minister of the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Following Mr Seamus Mallon's dramatic resignation on the floor of the Assembly, first indications were that Mr Trimble would feel obliged to follow suit and tender his resignation. Sources close to Mr Trimble indicated that he was likely to do so before his departure on holiday at the weekend, and after having conducted negotiations with Stormont officials about the position of staff both in his office and in that of Mr Mallon.
However, last night, Mr John Taylor, the party deputy leader, said he believed Mr Trimble should continue in the post "to provide some continuity in this situation." Mr Taylor said: "Our purpose in all of this is to ensure that the Good Friday Agreement actually works and no useful purpose would be served by David's resignation."
Other party sources had urged Mr Trimble to stay on despite Mr Mallon's challenge, which they described as " a fit of pique."
The sources said that Mr Trimble had been justified by the failure of the Provisional IRA to issue a statement, as requested by the Taoiseach, committing itself to decommissioning.
There were questions last night as to whether Mr Trimble was legally obliged to quit his post in the light of Mr Mallon's decision. Informed opinion had been that, under the legislation governing the Assembly, the effect of Mr Mallon's resignation would be to take Mr Trimble with him - since they had been elected to their posts on a joint resolution. However, the Irish Times understands that that provision would only have come into effect after triggering of the d'Hondt process for the appointment of ministers and that the positions of Mr Trimble and Mr Mallon are currently governed by the earlier elections legislation.
Sources said that Dr Mo Mowlam had attempted to frame a standing order which would have obliged Mr Trimble to resign in the event of Mr Mallon's resignation, but that the Northern Ireland Office had received a legal opinion challenging this proposal.