Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness questioned the logic of the
UUP stance.
"The
UUP's decision to leave government is cowardly rather than courageous and self-serving rather than selfless.
The move will heap further pressure on the linkup which has already cost the
UUP its only MP Lady Sylvia Hermon and North Down MLA Alan McFarland.
"He is one of the few people who has experience of running a department," the
UUP leader said.
The decision will please modernisers within the
UUP who have been trying to end the situation where Orange delegates who are not supporters of the party have a vote on the party's ruling council.
And some
UUP insiders close to Trimble privately claimed they were glad of the DUP victory.
Ulster Unionist MP William Ross said before a meeting of opponents of the Good Friday accord within the
UUP that they were relying on him to stick to the party manifesto promise of "no guns, no government."
Mr Wilson said: "One
UUP spokesman after another has had their inconsistencies exposed.
The Ards councillor and secretary of the National Association of Councillors in Northern Ireland, attended yesterday's
UUP annual meeting in Belfast 12 months after he and three other party rebels publicly voiced their opposition to the New Force merger.
The
UUP spin doctor - a close advisor of party leader David Trimble - caused upset in some quarters when it emerged he'd wed his gay lover.
Since the signing of the Good Friday agreement, the
UUP has insisted it would not form an executive featuring Sinn Fein without any IRA disarmament.
But
UUP security spokesman Ken Maginnis insisted there would be no change in policy without the backing of the 110-member party executive.