The Ulster Unionist Party claimed today the findings of a British newspaper poll vindicated its no-confidence motion in Sinn Féin at the Northern Ireland Assembly.
The Gallup poll, conducted for the Daily Telegraph, shows 79 per cent of respondents in favour of excluding Sinn Féin from the Assembly unless the IRA decommissions its weapons. Only 11 per cent think that Sinn Féin should be allowed to remain.
Further results show 89 per cent of Britons feel the IRA should be regarded as terrorists to be treated in the same way as Osama bin Laden.
A total of 68 per cent said they thought the release of political prisoners under the Belfast Agreement was a mistake.
Mr Fred Cobain, UUP MLA for North Belfast, said: "It has been clear for some time that Sinn Féin/IRA are totally isolated on the weapons issue".
"They have failed to honour their commitments and have consistently broken their word time and again".
The poll was conducted by the Gallup Organisation via telephone interviews with 1,021 adults across the UK between September 26th and October 3rd.
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