Articles

As we approach the anniversary of the brutal murders of Patrick Azimer, Mark Quinsey and Stephen Carroll by dissident republicans, Ulster Unionist Leader Sir Reg Empey reflects on the events which left Northern Ireland stunned and saddened.

The Ulster Unionist Party wants Stormont to work, and we will put our shoulders to the wheel - make no mistake on that score.

In recent weeks the press has been dominated by calls from the DUP in relation to Unionist deals, Unionist pacts and Unionist Unity. Ian Paisley Junior's commentary (10th December 2009) to this paper is just one of them. For me and for many of my colleagues who have been berated and insulted by the DUP over the years we understandably find these calls insincere and indeed offensive.

I had the privilege of visiting our troops in Helmand in 2008, when it was clear that the entire burden was being carried by our young men and women, such as those at Musa Qala who were for weeks on end, without respite, mentoring Afghan forces. Was there any strategic back-up, I asked? What was the long-term ambition for this new army when our troops were gone?

On December 2nd, 1999, legislative powers were formally devolved to the Northern Ireland Assembly and the Executive Committee.

Following the statement by the Minister of Education regarding her 'transitional governance' arrangements for the education system, Ulster Unionist Ministers Sir Reg Empey and Michael McGimpsey have made the following statement:

The Ulster Unionist Party has strongly criticised Gordon Brown's announcement at the Labour Party Conference that he intends to scrap the highly successful child care vouchers scheme.

There are two thundering humbugs at the heart of Peter Robinson's self-styled keynote speech on September 8 and his follow-up article, 'Proposed voting changes would build on success of the Assembly,' in this newspaper on September 15.

The discovery of the 600llb bomb in South Armagh is a sinister development and one that demonstrates that the dissident republican threat in Northern Ireland is very real. Those who would carry out such an act have no regard for human life and shouldn't just be dismissed as a 'small, unrepresentative minority.' They represent a threat and they need to be put out of business quickly and efficiently.

The UUP does not have an alliance with the TUV and has never had an alliance with the TUV

It is a poor indictment of the community in Londonderry and the governance of those primarily responsible for civic affairs that, as reported in the Londonderry Sentinel of last week, Dean Morton of St Columb's Cathedral finds it necessary to draw attention again to the lack of consideration and imbalance in terms of parity of esteem afforded to that heritage and culture most associated with the Protestant community in the city.

Given the huge ongoing debate and the long-term consequences of the A5 road proposals the Ulster Unionist Party are hosting a public consultation meeting in Omagh next week.

Government plans to end the Common Travel Area torpedoed by a Conservative amendment in the House of Lords. .

On Armistice Sunday 2009 the British Cyprus Memorial Trust will unveil a Memorial to 371 British servicemen who died during the Cyprus Emergency (the EOKA Campaign) 1955-1959.

It's good to see Unionism reaching out of its comfort zone to a wider pan UK vision.This is what Unionism is about;promoting and strengthening the Union

STORMONT seems irrelevant to many people but if Assembly committees could scrutinise legislation and bring forward new laws it could be revived, argues DANNY KENNEDY

"There are a number of comments in Mr. Robinson's interview which deserve a response.

For the Ulster Unionist Party there were three main priorities in the European election: to hold onto our seat, to increase our percentage of the vote and to promote the new relationship we have with the Conservative Party. Well, we did hold our seat (and much more comfortably than many commentators predicted), we saw an improvement in our percentage (not bad considering the fall in voter turnout) and I doubt if there are many people who are not aware of the new political and electoral force that is the 'Conservatives and Unionists.'

For the Ulster Unionist Party there were three main priorities in the European election: to hold onto our seat, to increase our percentage of the vote and to promote the new relationship we have with the Conservative Party. Well, we did hold our seat (and much more comfortably than many commentators predicted), we saw an improvement in our percentage (not bad considering the fall in voter turnout) and I doubt if there are many people who are not aware of the new political and electoral force that is the 'Conservatives and Unionists.'

Mrs Dodds failed to answer how she will smash Sinn Fein on the Politics Show and worse we now hear her partnership with Sinn Fein includes partnership with a communist block in the European Parliament.Here we are in the worst recession since the 1930s and DUP are locked in a carve up which is failing to deliver on real issues affecting the ordinary voters.DUP/Sinn Fein agreed to mutual vetoes at St Andrews ; we now have complete paralysis in education,the Maze and the budget.Together in Government hey have completely failed to address sectarianism still a scourge in our society.

Voting for Conservatives and Unionists can deliver real change that goes wider than just Europe,it goes to the heart of what Unionism is about.For the first time in a century we have a party delivering a simple united pan UK wide message 'vote for change' and we have uniform branding here in line with the rest of the UK.

The recent moves by the Ulster Unionist Party to forge formal links with The Conservative and Unionist Party show the beginnings of normal issue based politics in Northern Ireland. The two emerging brands of Unionism highlight the differences within Unionism and show the UUP returning to its traditional roots as its ideals and policies converge with the Conservative and Unionist Party with which it has always had close relations since the Home Rule crisis and the foundation of the Northern Ireland state in 1921.More than ever Northern Ireland needs a new outward looking and confident brand of Unionism if Unionism is to survive and be credible and recognized in the rest of the Kingdom.