Trimble to focus on UK identity

The Ulster Unionist leader, Mr David Trimble, will now focus on trying to safeguard the British identity in Northern Ireland, according to a senior UUP source. Mr Trimble overcame another challenge from the anti-Belfast Agreement wing of the party at the weekend.

There could be a "price to pay" if the British government did not allow the crown to appear on the badge of the new Police Service of Northern Ireland, added the Trimble lieutenant last night. He would not say whether this was a threat to refuse to operate elements of the Belfast Agreement, such as its North-South dimension, if the crown was not reinstated in the new police badge.

"If the British government refuses to listen and doesn't respect the views of unionists on this then it will become a very serious problem," he added.

The First Minister, Mr Trimble, was said to be in relaxed mood at the weekend after his victory over the No wing of the party at the Ulster Unionist Council meeting in Belfast's Waterfront Hall on Saturday.

He is due in the Assembly today where the Deputy First Minister, Mr Mark Durkan, is to present his draft Budget. "He hopes he can now concentrate on the business of helping run Northern Ireland," said the Trimble aide.

Mr Trimble won the support of 56 per cent of the UUC who endorsed his motion that allows him tactically decide how to deal with the issue of decommissioning and how to prevent the erosion of British symbolism in Northern Ireland. He will report to the next annual general meeting of the UUC in March on what progress, if any, has been made on decommissioning.

The council, by 409 votes to 320, rejected a motion from South Antrim MP Mr David Burnside that would have compelled UUP ministers to withdraw from North-South meetings by February 28th if the "Royal" was not restored to the police name. The motion also demanded the protection of British symbolism in other walks of life in Northern Ireland.

An earlier motion proposed by UUP honorary secretary Ms Arlene Foster that would have forced Ulster Unionist ministers to pull out of government by the beginning of March in the absence of full IRA disarmament was withdrawn in favour of Mr Burnside' s motion.

The failed Burnside motion also proposed that a recently disbanded UUP review group on decommissioning should be re-established and that it should report to the council a.g.m. in March on what progress was achieved on decommissioning.

After the vote Mr Trimble focused on what is being termed unionist "cold house" disaffection with elements of the Belfast Agreement, particularly those relating to the neutralising of British symbolism in the police and courts.

Asked about the party divisions, he said they would not disappear until the problems of arms and symbolism were satisfactorily resolved.

Mr Jeffrey Donaldson said that while Mr Trimble had won the vote, the 56 per cent/46 per cent split indicated the strong divisions within the party.

Mr Burnside said that the vote illustrated the strong reservations within the council over party strategy.

Members of the UUC had three motions to consider. The Fermanagh-South Tyrone Assembly member Ms Arlene Foster had proposed that the party withdraw from the North's Executive for a second time by March 1st if IRA decommissioning is not completed by the end of February. Her motion was withdrawn in favour of what was called a compromise motion from the South Antrim MP, Mr David Burnside. His motion called for the party's decommissioning review group to be reactivated, for the word "Royal" to be incorporated in the operating title of the police service, for the Union flag to be flown at police stations, for the Crown to be included in the police badge, and for the Royal Coat of Arms to be retained in courts of law. Without progress on these it was proposed that Ulster Unionists withdraw from the North South Ministerial Council. This was defeated by 409 votes (56 per cent) to 320 (44 per cent). A motion from the leadership endorsing Mr Trimble's approach was carried "by acclamation".