Mike Nesbitt to attend UUP conference remotely due to illness - as officials confirm Diana Armstrong will replace Lord Elliott as MLA

Meanwhile, the Electoral Office has published a letter confirming that UUP councillor Diana Armstrong will replace Lord Tom Elliott as the party’s Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA.

The party meets for its annual conference in the Crowne Plaza hotel in south Belfast on Saturday.

Mr Nesbitt is expected to set out an “inclusive” agenda – with a focus on Northern Ireland becoming more prosperous. He believes that will secure the union as people will not agitate for change.

The message is very similar to that of the DUP – but he told Cool FM’s James Gould earlier this week that while he’s willing to talk about unionist co-operation he doesn’t envisage much change of his party’s position, before listing a series of DUP “mistakes” including Brexit.

Mr Nesbitt said “It's not enough anymore to wrap yourself in a Union Flag and sing God Save the King” – and said he has a vision that “includes everybody” but is based on “common sense”.

He is still due to be formally ratified as leader on Saturday, and will be able to do that as well as deliver his speech remotely.

An Ulster Unionist Party Spokesperson said “Unfortunately, Mike Nesbitt has not recovered sufficiently to be able to attend the conference in person. He will be addressing the closed session tomorrow morning for his ratification as party leader and the open conference at 14:45, both via a live stream.”

On Friday afternoon Dr David Marshall, Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland, confirmed that Diana Armstrong has been returned to serve as a member of the NI Assembly for the Fermanagh and South Tyrone constituency to fill the vacancy arising from the resignation of Lord Elliott of Ballinamallard.

Mrs Armstrong will become the sole female MLA in the party’s Stormont team, which has been all male since Rosemary Barton lost her seat in the same constituency. A formal announcement will be made on Saturday.