John Major will meet fringe Unionist leaders

John Major will meet fringe Unionist leaders today, amid growing concern that the loyalist ceasefire is in jeopardy. Delegates from the Progressive Unionist Party, including the leader, David Ervine, and the Ulster Democratic Party, led by Gary McMichael, will meet Mr Major at Downing Street to discuss the peace talks. It is understood to be the first time that a British prime minister has held talks directly with the parties, who have links to the UDA and UVF paramilitaries which announced a ceasefire six weeks after the IRA in 1994.

Mr Major is also facing increased pressure to provide an official explanation for the events at Drumcree, where loyalists and nationalists clashed over the routing of an Orange march. Cardinal Cahal Daly, the Irish Roman Catholic primate, called for an independent inquiry into Drumcree and the role of the RUC. Rebecca Fowler