Menu
27/06/2005
Sir Reg Empey takes reins as UUP leader
Sir Reg Empey has been elected leader of the Ulster Unionist Party, after Friday night's meeting of the Ulster Unionist Council in Belfast.
Sir Reg, who becomes the 13th leader of the Party following in the footsteps of Sir Edward Carson and Sir James Craig, won a close fought leadership contest at the Ramada Hotel in Belfast.
Sir Reg garnered 321 votes (52.7%) compared with Alan McFarland’s 287 votes (47.2%) on the second count. Strangford MLA David McNarry polled just 54 votes in the first count and was forced to drop out of the contest.
Acknowledging that a tough time lay ahead for his leadership, Sir Reg said he had "absolutely no illusions about the difficulties which lie ahead - but we have met adversity before."
Outgoing leader David Trimble was conspicuous by his absense at Friday's vote, however he is thought to have been attending a prior engagement in Scotland. His wife, Daphne, however, was there to cast her vote.
An MLA for East Belfast and a former Economy Minister for the suspended NI Assembly, Sir Reg is also a councillor sitting on Belfast City Council.
Commenting on the Sir Reg’s victory, Sinn Fein’s Mitchel McLaughlin said: “Unionism has to send a signal to the nationalist and republican community that it has moved on from the politics of domination and is willing to accept that the days of second class citizenship are over.
“Unionism needs to display to the rest of us that it can do business on the basis of equality and respect for others political mandates. That can be the only basis upon which we can secure forward movement in the time ahead.”
(MB/SP)
Sir Reg, who becomes the 13th leader of the Party following in the footsteps of Sir Edward Carson and Sir James Craig, won a close fought leadership contest at the Ramada Hotel in Belfast.
Sir Reg garnered 321 votes (52.7%) compared with Alan McFarland’s 287 votes (47.2%) on the second count. Strangford MLA David McNarry polled just 54 votes in the first count and was forced to drop out of the contest.
Acknowledging that a tough time lay ahead for his leadership, Sir Reg said he had "absolutely no illusions about the difficulties which lie ahead - but we have met adversity before."
Outgoing leader David Trimble was conspicuous by his absense at Friday's vote, however he is thought to have been attending a prior engagement in Scotland. His wife, Daphne, however, was there to cast her vote.
An MLA for East Belfast and a former Economy Minister for the suspended NI Assembly, Sir Reg is also a councillor sitting on Belfast City Council.
Commenting on the Sir Reg’s victory, Sinn Fein’s Mitchel McLaughlin said: “Unionism has to send a signal to the nationalist and republican community that it has moved on from the politics of domination and is willing to accept that the days of second class citizenship are over.
“Unionism needs to display to the rest of us that it can do business on the basis of equality and respect for others political mandates. That can be the only basis upon which we can secure forward movement in the time ahead.”
(MB/SP)
Related Northern Ireland News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.
05 August 2008
Adams Joins Debate On NI Policing Ministry
Despite publication of an 'agreement' letter on a possible way forward for the transfer of policing and justice powers yesterday, it is increasingly clear that the issue is far from a resolution. Now, Gerry Adams, the Leader of Sinn Fein, has accused other parties of "playing games" over the issue.
Adams Joins Debate On NI Policing Ministry
Despite publication of an 'agreement' letter on a possible way forward for the transfer of policing and justice powers yesterday, it is increasingly clear that the issue is far from a resolution. Now, Gerry Adams, the Leader of Sinn Fein, has accused other parties of "playing games" over the issue.
07 April 2009
£44m Contract Signed For Belfast College
Last week's gloom over engineering job losses in Northern Ireland was lightened on Monday with news that the £44m educational building contract had been signed. Belfast Metropolitan College's (BMC) new multi-million pound city centre campus will be located in the Titanic Quarter in east Belfast.
£44m Contract Signed For Belfast College
Last week's gloom over engineering job losses in Northern Ireland was lightened on Monday with news that the £44m educational building contract had been signed. Belfast Metropolitan College's (BMC) new multi-million pound city centre campus will be located in the Titanic Quarter in east Belfast.
21 August 2008
NI Students Celebrate Exam Success
GCSE students are celebrating top grades in the biggest annual rise since 1990 - with the Province outperforming the mainland. Northern Ireland beat England, Scotland and Wales with 26.4% awarded A* or A.
NI Students Celebrate Exam Success
GCSE students are celebrating top grades in the biggest annual rise since 1990 - with the Province outperforming the mainland. Northern Ireland beat England, Scotland and Wales with 26.4% awarded A* or A.
30 October 2007
Invest Locally Call As Seagate Staff Get Redundancy Details
As staff at the doomed Seagate facility in Limavady received details of their relatively generous redundancy terms, there have been promises of support in finding jobs and retraining - and a call to shift job creation funding to indigenous businesses.
Invest Locally Call As Seagate Staff Get Redundancy Details
As staff at the doomed Seagate facility in Limavady received details of their relatively generous redundancy terms, there have been promises of support in finding jobs and retraining - and a call to shift job creation funding to indigenous businesses.
05 September 2002
Shorts Bombardier to axe 461 jobs
Belfast-based aerospace company Shorts Bombardier has announced that 461 jobs are to be axed. The news was communicated to staff at a management meeting at 2pm this afternoon.
Shorts Bombardier to axe 461 jobs
Belfast-based aerospace company Shorts Bombardier has announced that 461 jobs are to be axed. The news was communicated to staff at a management meeting at 2pm this afternoon.
-
Northern Ireland WeatherThis Evening and Tonight:Apart from a little patchy drizzle it will be a dry evening and night with variable amounts of cloud. A few mist and fog patches forming. Minimum temperature 7 °C.
