The Ulster Unionist Party's refusal to allow its anti-agreement MP, Mr Jeffrey Donaldson, to stand in the assembly election is being interpreted within the party as a strong signal that the leadership is no longer prepared to tolerate dissent in its ranks.
Mr Donaldson was refused permission to contest the poll after a two-hour meeting at party headquarters in Belfast yesterday. Thirteen members of the UUP's officer team took the decision. The party leader, Mr David Trimble, was not present.
On Monday night another UUP dissident, Ms Arlene Foster, failed to secure a nomination from her constituency association in Fermanagh-South Tyrone. The leadership had previously promoted her heavily. But a leading dissident, Mr John Hunter, has secured a nomination in South Antrim.
Mr Donaldson expressed disappointment at yesterday's decision but said he accepted it and would continue to support the leadership and hopefully play a role in drawing up its election manifesto. He will not stand as a United Unionist candidate.
A senior UUP dissident described the decision as disgraceful and accused the leadership of "a witch-hunt". He said: "There is no way this is a non-political decision. Jeffrey is a very capable and talented young man, and it is people like him who should be standing for election."
A UUP source loyal to Mr Trimble said the decision strengthened his hold on the party. Both sides agreed Mr Donaldson's status in the UUP has been damaged in the short term. Regarded as a future party leader, he defied his party leadership and led opposition within the UUP to the Belfast Agreement.
Under party rules, MPs must seek special dispensation to stand for the assembly. This has been granted to Mr Trimble and his deputy, Mr John Taylor. But after yesterday's meeting the UUP officers issued a statement saying the special circumstances in Mr Donaldson's case were insufficient to warrant dispensation.
They denied their decision was based on his anti-agreement stance. No vote was taken at the meeting, but sources said a clear majority of the party officers opposed his application.
Speaking afterwards, Mr Donaldson said: "Of course, I am disappointed. I wanted to be in the assembly because that is where Ulster's future will be decided." He said the decision was a question for the party officers.
A senior dissident UUP source said it was ludicrous that Mr Donaldson had been denied permission to stand while Mr Taylor's request was approved. The source said that by barring dissidents from standing, the party leadership was storing up future trouble.
But pro-agreement sources said Mr Trimble was in a stronger position than ever. "He is determined to stamp his authority on the party," one said. "Why should people who opposed leadership policy be rewarded?"
The South Antrim constituency association's decision to select Mr Hunter as a candidate, however, is a setback for Mr Trimble. The DUP leader, the Rev Ian Paisley, welcomed his nomination.
Mr Hunter said yesterday the party must draw up a strong manifesto demanding full decommissioning, no changes in the RUC, no "Dublin interference" in the North's internal affairs and stating clearly that the UUP would not sit in government with "unreconstructed terrorists".
Sinn Fein, expressing concern at Mr Hunter's selection, said Mr Trimble must ensure UUP anti-agreement elements were "not allowed to enter the assembly with the intention of wrecking it".
Meanwhile, in yesterday's Belfast Telegraph the UUP leader appealed to voters who supported the Belfast Agreement to turn out in equal numbers for the assembly elections. He warned that if people did not "finish the job", others would attempt to destroy "the opportunity of a lifetime".