A fresh challenge to Mr David Trimble's authority opened up last night as party officers braced themselves for an emergency meeting of the Ulster Unionist Council to consider a motion linking retention of the RUC's royal title to any return to the power-sharing executive.
And in a surprise development it was confirmed that a majority of Ulster Unionist MPs, including the deputy leader, Mr John Taylor, are to back Mr Burnside's "Save the RUC" motion. It is believed the MPs will confirm their intention in a statement later this morning, while at the same time dissociating themselves from any plan to challenge Mr Trimble's leadership.
Mr David Burnside, a London-based businessman and sometimes ally of the Ulster Unionist leader, confirmed he had notified the party's headquarters of his intention to submit a requisition, with the necessary 60 signatures, requesting the meeting in accordance with the council's rules.
Glengall Street sources confirmed they were expecting to receive the requisition, probably later today or tomorrow. One option is to hold the emergency meeting immediately following the council's annual general meeting in Belfast on Saturday week.
Mr Trimble is already facing the prospect of a "stalking horse" challenge to his leadership at the a.g.m.
Party officers met Mr Burnside last weekend but failed to persuade him to drop or amend his motion, which would instruct the leadership and UUP Assembly party "not to participate in the executive and the North/South, British/Irish councils and institutions until Her Majesty's government commits itself to retaining the proud name of the Royal Ulster Constabulary".
Mr Burnside withdrew a similar motion at Mr Trimble's request during the February 12th meeting of the council after Mr Peter Mandelson's suspension of the executive. He says he did so because the leadership did not want to divert pressure on Sinn Fein to deliver IRA decommissioning.
However, he told The Irish Times last night: "Since then there has been no decommissioning. If anything, unionists are coming under pressure to go back in and work these institutions."
Mr Burnside insisted his motion was not an anti-leadership manoeuvre.
With Mr Trimble in Washington for the St Patrick's Day festivities, it will be the weekend at the earliest before his advisers can determine a response to Mr Burnside's motion.
However, a likely reaction came from one Trimble loyalist. Asked if passage of the motion would have implications for Mr Trimble's leadership, he replied: "I think it could possibly spell the end for him. More to the point, I think it could spell the end of politics for a long time ahead."