Paisley win hits peace process

The Ulster peace process suffered a fresh setback today as a court ruling threw David Trimble's position into doubt.

Only 48 hours after the Ulster Unionist leader was re-elected as First Minister amid scuffles at Stormont, Ian Paisley's Democratic Unionist Party won the first round of its legal battle to force an early election in the province.

A judge at the Northern Ireland High Court granted the DUP permission to seek a judicial review of Ulster Secretary John Reid's ruling that the next elections in the province should go ahead as planned in May, 2003. The DUP says he should have dissolved the Assembly and ordered elections when the deadline for the election of a First Minister passed last Saturday.

Mr Trimble failed by one vote to be elected last Friday, but Mr Reid brokered a political deal which enabled the vote to be reversed on Tuesday.

Mr Justice Brian Kerr said the DUP should have the opportunity to put its points in court, but said he had misgivings about the strength of its case. He said Mr Trimble could carry on as First Minister until a final judgment.