If David Trimble thought his successive victories in the UUC had brought him some respite from the rebels within his party, the three currently unwhipped MPs have given him pause for thought with their latest joint statement.
Before Sinn Fein can participate in a future Northern Ireland Executive, the IRA must deal conclusively with weapons decommissioning, end all paramilitary activity and effectively wind up their paramilitary organisation.
This is the Ulster Unionist bottom line and there will be no room for ambiguity or a fudge. Any arrangement that falls short of these requirements must be rejected by David Trimble as he has no mandate to negotiate anything less.
Mick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty
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