Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
UUP in step for change to catch its rivals
AN Irish dancing troupe is probably among the last things you would expect to see at a unionist party conference.
But perhaps the trio on the UUP stage hailing from a dance academy called Royal Tara helped balance out the surprise.
While the choice of interval act was somewhat unexpected, it continued the messaging the Ulster Unionists have been pushing in the run-up to this conference.
A young girl with a hurl and sliotar featuring in its party political broadcast had already helped the UUP grab some extra media exposure.
Under the leadership of
Doug Beattie, the UUP is attempting to position itself as more positive, progressive and inclusive than its unionist rivals.
The party leader, who has only been in the job for around four months, strode across the stage at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Belfast as he delivered his keynote speech.
For too long unionism “has been viewed as negative, backward and angry”, he told UUP members.
LIBERAL
Mr Beattie added: “Yet some of the most socially liberal within Northern Ireland are found within unionism and loyalism.”
Mr Beattie said: “My unionism is rooted in the whole of the United Kingdom and can be found in London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and, of course, Belfast.”
But he also signalled the possibility his party could go into opposition if they do not become the lead unionist party, arguing a mandatory five-party coalition “no longer delivers good government”.
He added: “We need to create a working powersharing government with a working power-sharing opposition to hold them to account.”
The UUP is displaying a newfound confidence after promising poll results. Only at the next election will we discover whether this translates into votes.