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| Ulster Unionist Party intends to leave NI Executive | Ulster Unionist Party intends to leave NI Executive |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| The Ulster Unionist Party intends to leave the Northern Ireland Executive, the party's leader has said. | The Ulster Unionist Party intends to leave the Northern Ireland Executive, the party's leader has said. |
| Mike Nesbitt made the recommendation during a meeting with senior party members. | Mike Nesbitt made the recommendation during a meeting with senior party members. |
| The announcement comes as part of an ongoing political row over the status of the Provisional IRA that followed the murder of Kevin McGuigan Sr. | |
| Sinn Féin accused the UUP of creating a "crisis", while the DUP said the move was "hypocritical and misleading". | Sinn Féin accused the UUP of creating a "crisis", while the DUP said the move was "hypocritical and misleading". |
| Mr Nesbitt said he had chaired a meeting attended by the party's MLAs, MEP, MPs, senior representatives of its councillors association and its party chairman, and they had endorsed his recommendation "unanimously". | Mr Nesbitt said he had chaired a meeting attended by the party's MLAs, MEP, MPs, senior representatives of its councillors association and its party chairman, and they had endorsed his recommendation "unanimously". |
| He said the party's ruling body would make a final decision on Saturday and if it was supported then the party would form an opposition. | He said the party's ruling body would make a final decision on Saturday and if it was supported then the party would form an opposition. |
| The Northern Ireland Executive is a power-sharing government drawing ministers from the five biggest parties. | The Northern Ireland Executive is a power-sharing government drawing ministers from the five biggest parties. |
| The Ulster Unionist announcement comes as part of a political row that has followed the Police Service of Northern Ireland's assertion that members of the Provisional IRA were involved in the murder of Mr McGuigan Sr. | The Ulster Unionist announcement comes as part of a political row that has followed the Police Service of Northern Ireland's assertion that members of the Provisional IRA were involved in the murder of Mr McGuigan Sr. |
| The 53-year-old ex-IRA man, was killed in what police believe was part of a "fall-out" in republican circles after the murder of former IRA commander Gerard 'Jock' Davison in May. | The 53-year-old ex-IRA man, was killed in what police believe was part of a "fall-out" in republican circles after the murder of former IRA commander Gerard 'Jock' Davison in May. |
| Police said an infrastructure exists at a senior level of the Provisional IRA, but that there was no evidence that Mr McGuigan's murder was sanctioned by that hierarchy. | Police said an infrastructure exists at a senior level of the Provisional IRA, but that there was no evidence that Mr McGuigan's murder was sanctioned by that hierarchy. |
| On Sunday, Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams said there was no reason for armed republican groups, such as the IRA, to exist as the movement was committed to peace. | On Sunday, Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams said there was no reason for armed republican groups, such as the IRA, to exist as the movement was committed to peace. |
| 'No trust' | 'No trust' |
| Mr Nesbitt said Sinn Féin had "no credibility and we have no trust and without trust we have nothing". | Mr Nesbitt said Sinn Féin had "no credibility and we have no trust and without trust we have nothing". |
| "The situation can be fixed but we need some clarity about the IRA and its command structure," he said. | "The situation can be fixed but we need some clarity about the IRA and its command structure," he said. |
| He said the DUP and Sinn Féin-led government had been "incapable of delivering positive outcomes". | He said the DUP and Sinn Féin-led government had been "incapable of delivering positive outcomes". |
| Mr Nesbitt added that Danny Kennedy, the UUP minister for regional development, would resign if the recommendation was endorsed. | Mr Nesbitt added that Danny Kennedy, the UUP minister for regional development, would resign if the recommendation was endorsed. |
| Analysis: Chris Page, Political Correspondent | Analysis: Chris Page, Political Correspondent |
| It is very likely that the UUP's ruling body will endorse the plan to withdraw from the executive, given that the party's senior elected representatives are unanimously backing it. | It is very likely that the UUP's ruling body will endorse the plan to withdraw from the executive, given that the party's senior elected representatives are unanimously backing it. |
| The Ulster Unionists have just one minister - Danny Kennedy - out of 13 around the Executive table. | The Ulster Unionists have just one minister - Danny Kennedy - out of 13 around the Executive table. |
| So the executive will continue to function without the UUP. | So the executive will continue to function without the UUP. |
| But the Ulster Unionists' move will put pressure on the Democratic Unionist Party, the biggest party in the assembly, to take action. | But the Ulster Unionists' move will put pressure on the Democratic Unionist Party, the biggest party in the assembly, to take action. |
| The party executive is expected to make a decision on Saturday. | The party executive is expected to make a decision on Saturday. |
| "We will then form an opposition and offer the voter an alternative as is normal in any democracy," Mr Nesbitt added. | "We will then form an opposition and offer the voter an alternative as is normal in any democracy," Mr Nesbitt added. |
| "It has not been an easy decision but we believe it is the right thing to do at this time." | "It has not been an easy decision but we believe it is the right thing to do at this time." |
| 'Hypocrisy' | 'Hypocrisy' |
| The DUP 's deputy leader Nigel Dodds said the UUP's record in government "is one of crisis and collapse". | |
| "The UUP previously sat in government with Sinn Féin before decommissioning and whenever the Provisional IRA was armed and active. | "The UUP previously sat in government with Sinn Féin before decommissioning and whenever the Provisional IRA was armed and active. |
| "For the UUP to try and rewrite history is downright hypocritical and misleading." | "For the UUP to try and rewrite history is downright hypocritical and misleading." |
| He added: "If anyone should be excluded from government in Northern Ireland for wrongdoing it is Sinn Féin, not unionists." | |
| Sinn Féin's Gerry Kelly accused Mr Nesbitt of electioneering and trying to "create a crisis". He reiterated his party's comments that the "IRA has left the stage". | Sinn Féin's Gerry Kelly accused Mr Nesbitt of electioneering and trying to "create a crisis". He reiterated his party's comments that the "IRA has left the stage". |
| "This was a party political broadcast as opposed to trying to resolve situations here," he said. | "This was a party political broadcast as opposed to trying to resolve situations here," he said. |
| "This is based in hypocrisy. Last year, he [Mike Nesbitt] walked out with his party and went shoulder-to-shoulder with people connected to paramilitary organisations. | "This is based in hypocrisy. Last year, he [Mike Nesbitt] walked out with his party and went shoulder-to-shoulder with people connected to paramilitary organisations. |
| "It is very hard to believe what he is trying to do other than compete with the DUP in upcoming elections. | "It is very hard to believe what he is trying to do other than compete with the DUP in upcoming elections. |
| "This is old hat, there is nothing new in any of this, he believes that he is making a good move towards the elections. It is electioneering." | "This is old hat, there is nothing new in any of this, he believes that he is making a good move towards the elections. It is electioneering." |
| The Northern Ireland Secretary of State Theresa Villiers said the announcement "was a matter for the Ulster Unionist Party who take their own decisions". | The Northern Ireland Secretary of State Theresa Villiers said the announcement "was a matter for the Ulster Unionist Party who take their own decisions". |
| "The government remains fully committed to the devolved political institutions and to the implementation of the Stormont House Agreement," she added. | "The government remains fully committed to the devolved political institutions and to the implementation of the Stormont House Agreement," she added. |
| "Over the coming days, I shall be continuing my discussions with the parties about fallout from the murder of Kevin McGuigan." | "Over the coming days, I shall be continuing my discussions with the parties about fallout from the murder of Kevin McGuigan." |