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UUP decides to withdraw from Northern Ireland Executive UUP decides to withdraw from Northern Ireland Executive
(about 1 hour later)
The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) will leave the Northern Ireland Executive.The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) will leave the Northern Ireland Executive.
Its ruling body voted unanimously in favour of a proposal by leader Mike Nesbitt for the party to withdraw from government.Its ruling body voted unanimously in favour of a proposal by leader Mike Nesbitt for the party to withdraw from government.
He had made the recommendation after police in Northern Ireland said members of the Provisional IRA were involved in murdering ex-IRA man Kevin McGuigan Sr.He had made the recommendation after police in Northern Ireland said members of the Provisional IRA were involved in murdering ex-IRA man Kevin McGuigan Sr.
Mr Nesbitt said Danny Kennedy, the UUP's only executive minister, would tender his resignation on Tuesday.Mr Nesbitt said Danny Kennedy, the UUP's only executive minister, would tender his resignation on Tuesday.
And he described the executive as a "busted flush".And he described the executive as a "busted flush".
Mr McGuigan Sr's murder earlier this month has raised questions about the status of the political institutions in Northern Ireland. Tipping
Chief Constable George Hamilton said an infrastructure still exists at a senior level of the Provisional IRA. Chief Constable George Hamilton said in the wake of Mr McGuigan Sr's murder that an infrastructure still exists at a senior level of the Provisional IRA.
But he added there was no evidence that Mr McGuigan Sr's murder was sanctioned by that hierarchy. But he added there was no evidence that the killing was sanctioned by that hierarchy.
Sinn Féin said the Provisional IRA had "gone away" after ordering an end to its armed conflict in 2005.Sinn Féin said the Provisional IRA had "gone away" after ordering an end to its armed conflict in 2005.
Mr Nesbitt said Sinn Féin had "no credibility and we have no trust and without trust we have nothing". Mr Nesbitt said the murder had been a "tipping point" for politics in Northern Ireland.
The UUP's executive, which has over 100 members, met at a hotel in east Belfast to discuss Mr Nesbitt's recommendation for the party to pull out of government. "There is no doubt this is the right thing," he said.
It voted unanimously to support the move. Opposition
Sinn Féin MLA Gerry Kelly said Mr Nesbitt was "trying to spook the DUP into pulling the institutions down". "[Sinn Féin's] position of denial over the existence of the IRA against the word of the chief constable makes it impossible to do business with them.
"We are walking out of the executive because we cannot sit with Sinn Féin because we do not trust them.
"The challenge at this tipping point is to fix what's wrong and to return to the vision of [the Good Friday Agreement in] 1998."
He said the party would now prepare to go into opposition in the Northern Ireland Assembly.
About 90 members of the UUP's executive met at a hotel in east Belfast to discuss Mr Nesbitt's recommendation for the party to pull out of government.
Analysis: BBC News NI political correspondent Stephen Walker
The DUP now has big decisions to make on whether to remain in the executive or follow the UUP and resign its ministerial positions.
That would bring power-sharing to an end and herald direct rule from Westminster for the first time since 2007.
Sinn Féin MLA Gerry Kelly said Mr Nesbitt had "abdicated his responsibilities" to the people who had voted for his party.
"I think [he] is setting leadership aside here for narrow party political reasons, even though he argues that it's quite the opposite," Mr Kelly said."I think [he] is setting leadership aside here for narrow party political reasons, even though he argues that it's quite the opposite," Mr Kelly said.
"This decision is based solely in attempting to gain an electoral advantage over the DUP and nothing else.
"What unionism needs to realise if it is pulling down these institutions is that they're not just punishing the nationalist vote, they are also punishing the voters who vote for unionists.""What unionism needs to realise if it is pulling down these institutions is that they're not just punishing the nationalist vote, they are also punishing the voters who vote for unionists."
The DUP said earlier this week it believed that if anyone was excluded from government in Northern Ireland it should be Sinn Féin, "not unionists".The DUP said earlier this week it believed that if anyone was excluded from government in Northern Ireland it should be Sinn Féin, "not unionists".
Premature
On Friday, DUP MP Sammy Wilson accused the Ulster Unionists of being opportunistic.
Traditional Unionist Voice leader Jim Allister said the UUP had "done the right thing", and urged the DUP to follow its move.Traditional Unionist Voice leader Jim Allister said the UUP had "done the right thing", and urged the DUP to follow its move.
"It's no time for mere bluff and bluster, but it's time to face the reality that a Stormont executive built on the lies and excusing of IRA violence is a Stormont of not just failure, but shame." "It's no time for mere bluff and bluster, but it's time to face the reality that a Stormont executive built on the lies and excusing of IRA violence is a Stormont of not just failure, but shame," he said.
The SDLP and the Alliance Party both said ahead of the meeting that a decision by the UUP to leave the executive would be "premature".The SDLP and the Alliance Party both said ahead of the meeting that a decision by the UUP to leave the executive would be "premature".
Ivan Lewis, the shadow secretary of state for Northern Ireland, said the UUP's move left the political institutions "hanging by a thread once again".