Final countdown for Empey's leadership
ULSTER Unionist leader Sir Reg Empey is expected to tender his resignation to the Ulster Unionist executive on Saturday.
Sir Reg staked his leadership, and potentially that of his party's pact with the Conservatives, on a challenge to the DUP's William McCrea in South Antrim.
Although he reduced the incumbent's majority by two thirds to just over 1,000 votes, the UUP leader's failure to take the seat in last Thursday's General Election means that his leadership is all but over.
Following a meeting of the party's MLAs yesterday, the UUP released a short statement confirming that a meeting of its executive – which represents the party's elected and grassroots activists - had been called for Saturday.
The statement said: "Following the Westminster election, the Ulster Unionist Party will this week be reflecting on a number of issues.
"A special executive meeting is due to be held on Saturday, May 15, where the party will look at the way ahead."
It is understood that the UUP's party officers asked Sir Reg not do anything rash so that an orderly process of transition can be put in place.
At yesterday's meeting of UUP MLAs, it is understood that each member gave an analysis of where the party had gone wrong and ideas for various forms of "unionist unity" were discussed, as well as the nature of the party's link with the Tories.
Despite two senior Conservatives telling the News Letter that the Tories are committed to a long-term UUP alliance, several UUP Assemblymen gave differing views on whether the pact will survive.
However, that decision will have to be taken by the party's executive, which approved the relationship with the Conservatives and unanimously re-affirmed it as recently as February.
Although the leadership was not discussed at yesterday's meeting, Sir Reg is understood to have told his MLAs: "Things will be happening and there is a process."
UUP Assemblyman Basil McCrea, who is likely to challenge for the leadership during what will be a month-long campaign, said: "I don't think I'm breaking any confidences by saying that the leadership thing was not overtly discussed because Reg never raised it.
"He was quite forthright about some of the problems, as he saw them, and he wasn't ducking the issues."
Speaking of the party's link with the Tories, he added: "Whether we have any relationship with the Conservatives is a matter for the party to consider but it was a difficulty having another party involved in the selection of candidates.
"Personally, I think we are extremely unlikely to make the same mistake again."
Another prominent UUP MLA said: "People will give Sir Reg time. He is a gentleman who has no real enemies in the party and there is certainly no pressure on him to move until the party as a whole has been consulted."
It is understood that Sir Reg is likely to stay as Employment and Learning Minister once he leaves the leadership.
One senior Ulster Unionist told the News Letter that he believed the parties should resurrect a proposal on the table during January's Hatfield House negotiations, which would have seen the UUP and DUP merging as a non-sectarian, centre-right unionist party linked to the Conservatives.
"The abject failure of all three strategies pursued by unionist parties is, indeed, a crisis – but perhaps also an opportunity.
"Realignment would bring together the electoral machine and popularity of the DUP with the UUP's two ideological achievements – the Agreement and the re-establishment of unionism's historic link with the Conservatives.
"Despite the electoral failure of our 'project', the expressions of Cameron's commitment to the Union have been a major achievement
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Monday 28 May 2012
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