Ulster Unionists heading for meltdown in polls

Jenny Booth:

The Ulster Unionists were tonight heading for their worst ever General Election performance as results started to emerge in Northern Ireland.

With five seats declared, party sources feared that their leader David Trimble could be about to become the biggest casualty of the general election by losing his seat of Upper Bann.

"This is a Tsunami for the Ulster Unionist Party," one UUP Assembly source said. "Upper Bann has gone, South Belfast has gone. Our seats are being swept away."

Ulster Unionist hopes of having any representation at Westminster at all appeared to rest on Lady Sylvia Hermon holding on to her seat in North Down.

Hopefully, if the UUP disintegrates then this will hasten the end of the SDLP.