Sir Reg Empey - UUP Conference Report
Commenting after one of the UUP’s most successful and united conferences in recent years, Sir Reg Empey said….
“Bearing in mind that we had called delegates to an EGM the previous evening, I was delighted that so many of them—along with many others—attended our annual conference the following day. I was also struck by the sheer good nature and high spirits of everyone there. The conference is an opportunity for our grassroots to get together and what I saw on the day was a grassroots which was determined to get this party back on its feet and back in business.”
There was standing room only for Sir Reg’s keynote speech and a warm and enthusiastic ovation for his commitment to “re-shape and re-fashion our great party and return it to its role as the primary voice of Unionism.”
Later in the day a packed hall welcomed Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie as guest speaker; and applauded her view that the SDLP and UUP should improve their contacts with each other.
As he left the conference after an early evening reception, Sir Reg commented….
“I think that was one of the most successful weekends that the UUP has had for a very long time. We have dedicated ourselves to the changes needed for the way ahead and proved, both to ourselves and the outside world, that we are still here and deadly serious about the role that only the UUP can play in Northern Ireland.”