“Black” Day For DUP At Dromore By-Election
Speaking after the UUP’s candidate, Carol Black, won the by-election to Banbridge Council, Sir Reg Empey commented:
“This really is a “Black” day for the DUP. They had forced a by-election (which has cost local ratepayers thousands of pounds) when they refused to agree with us on co-opting a candidate; and they forced the by-election because they believed that they could see off both the UUP and the TUV. They saw off neither.”
“The DUP can no longer claim to be the majority voice of unionism. In Jeffrey Donaldson’s own backyard their vote plunged from almost 50% to less than 30%.”
“I congratulate Carol on her stunning victory. She is a new voice and a new face in politics and she confounded the critics by proving that a local woman campaigning on local issues can rise above the score-settling tit-for-tat that was the hallmark of the DUP-TUV showdown.”
“I congratulate my party colleagues and supporters who came out in large numbers to bolster Carol’s campaign. I joined them on a number of occasions. They were enthusiastic and confident. They wanted to prove that the Ulster Unionist Party was back on its feet and back in business. This result is a tribute to our collective efforts.”
“I also want to thank the electorate; those who gave their first preference choice to Carol, and those who gave her a preference at a later stage. This result is a considerable improvement on our performance in March 2007: another clear sign that voters are taking us seriously again.”
“Finally, can I say this to the media in general? The UUP was virtually ignored during the election; we were assumed to be incapable of winning a seat. We have proved your predictions and analysis to be inaccurate. The Ulster Unionist Party has weathered the political storm. We are still here and we are back in business.”