Kill it, Taylor tells PM

THE PRICE of Ulster Unionist support for John Major in this week's Commons vote on Europe is a declaration that the Anglo-Irish Framework Document is dead, a senior Unionist MP said yesterday, writes Stephen Castle and Paul Routledge.

John Taylor, the party's Europe spokesman, said the party had delayed its deliberations on how to vote in Wednesday's debate on the Government's handling of European policy "to give the Government as much time as possible to clarify its position".

Unionist MPs have reacted angrily to the cross-border bodies proposed in the Anglo-Irish Framework Document which was published last week.

In an intervention which raised the stakes ahead of the vote, he added: "They have to acknowledge that the Framework Document is not going to be the way forward. That it is finished." Without further pledges the party's nine MPs are almost certain to withdraw their support from the Government.

But Mr Major has staked his credibility on the peace process and is therefore unlikely to give such an assurance.