Former Northern Ireland First Minister Lord Trimble will not seek re-election at the next Assembly Election, his party confirmed today.
The Ulster Unionist peer, who was elevated to the House of Lords this year after losing his seat at the last general election, has told colleagues he will not be defending his seat in Upper Bann.
UUP members had expected the former Nobel Peace Prize laureate not to seek re-election.
Lord Trimble served as Northern Ireland's First Minister during the last Assembly between 1998 and 2002.
He was leader of the Ulster Unionists for 10 years until last year when his party suffered a heavy defeat in the elections to the rival Democratic Unionist Party.
The UUP lost four of its five Westminster seats, with Mr Trimble losing to the DUP's David Simpson in Upper Bann.
Along with former nationalist SDLP leader John Hume, Mr Trimble received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1998 for their role in securing the Good Friday Agreement.
Fresh Assembly elections are due to take place on March 7th under Prime Minister Tony Blair and Irish Taoiseach Bertie Ahern's devolution plan.
PA