Unionist poll threat played down

Labour yesterday sought to play down the prospect of an early general election despite the growing threat by Ulster Unionists that they would withdraw their support from the Government. James Molyneaux, the UUP leader, has ordered constituencies to bringforward plans to pick candidates in seats where there is no sitting MP, and the Unionist MP David Trimble said government pressure to accept "some form of all- Ireland institutions" would make it "impossible for us to continue to support them".

Labour wary, page 3