An election for the leadership of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) was held on 22 September 2010.

Background

Following poor results in the 2005 general election, the UUP held a leadership election, in which Reg Empey was successful. Empey formed an electoral coalition with the

Conservative Party The Conservative Party is a name used by many political parties around the world. These political parties are generally right-wing though their exact ideologies can range from center-right to far-right. Political parties called The Conservative P ...

, but the UUP's only MP resigned from the party, and the coalition won no seats in the 2010 general election. Following the election, some party members urged him to remain leader but, on 15 May, Empey announced that he would resign in time for an election to be completed by the party's annual conference, in October or November. On 9 August 2010, it was announced that Empey would resign on 22 September 2010 and that the election would be held the same day. Nominations are due by 31 August 2010.

Potential candidates

In May 2010, '' BBC News'' named five potential candidates for the leadership:

Tom Elliott Thomas or Tom Elliott may refer to: * Thomas Elliott (footballer) (1890–?), English footballer * Thomas Elliott (Australian cricketer) (1879–1939), Australian cricketer * Thomas Elliott (New Zealand cricketer) (1867–?), New Zealand cricketer ...

, Danny Kennedy,

Basil McCrea Basil McCrea (born 13 November 1959) is a former Northern Irish politician. He was the party leader of NI21 from 2013 until it disbanded in 2016. He was also a Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly (MLA) for Lagan Valley from 2007 to 2016. Po ...

Michael McGimpsey Michael McGimpsey (born 1 July 1948) is a former Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) politician who was a Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly (MLA) for Belfast South from 1998 to 2016. McGimpsey was born in Donaghadee, County Down and was educated ...

and

David McNarry David McNarry (born 25 May 1948) is a UK Independence Party (UKIP) politician in Northern Ireland, who was the leader of UKIP Northern Ireland from 2012 to 2016. He stood for the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) in North Down in the 1982 Assembly el ...

. Kennedy reportedly ruled himself out on 14 June 2010. Elliott announced on 22 June 2010 he would stand in the election, stating that he had a "vision for a progressive party". He was flanked by Kennedy, McNarry and McGimpsey when he announced, as well as by

Mike Nesbitt Michael Nesbitt, MLA (born 11 May 1957) is a British politician and former broadcasterChief Whip The Chief Whip is a political leader whose task is to enforce the whipping system, which aims to ensure that legislators who are members of a political party attend and vote on legislation as the party leadership prescribes. United Kingdom ...

Fred Cobain Fred Cobain, MBE (born 30 April 1946) is a Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) politician from Northern Ireland. He was an Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly (MLA) for Belfast North from 1998 until 2011. Political c ...

. McCrea officially announced his intention to stand on 23 August 2010.

Policy divide

One of the most prominent issues in the leadership choice was relations with the other major unionist party, the

Democratic Unionist Party The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) is a unionist, loyalist, and national conservative political party in Northern Ireland. It was founded in 1971 during the Troubles by Ian Paisley, who led the party for the next 37 years. Currently led by J ...

. While Kennedy repeatedly called for a pact or an alliance with the DUP, McCrea was strongly against it, claiming that such an alliance would only increase voter support for SF in the republican camp. Elliott stated on 25 August 2010 that he was also opposed to a single Unionist party and that he would seek to reform the electoral link with the Conservative Party in order that candidates would stand as UUP and not Ulster Conservatives and Unionists - New Force.

Results

References

{{Ulster Unionist Party Ulster Unionist Party leadership election

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Ulster Unionist Party leadership election Ulster Unionist Party leadership election Ulster Unionist Party leadership election