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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| UUP, Tories consider closer links | UUP, Tories consider closer links |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Conservative leader David Cameron has said "politics in Northern Ireland needs to become more like politics in the rest of the United Kingdom". | Conservative leader David Cameron has said "politics in Northern Ireland needs to become more like politics in the rest of the United Kingdom". |
| The Conservatives and Ulster Unionists have agreed to set up a working group to examine the possibility of greater co-operation between the parties. | The Conservatives and Ulster Unionists have agreed to set up a working group to examine the possibility of greater co-operation between the parties. |
| Private talks between the two parties have been going on since last October. | Private talks between the two parties have been going on since last October. |
| Speaking to the BBC Mr Cameron said he hoped to create a political force that was both Conservative and Unionist. | Speaking to the BBC Mr Cameron said he hoped to create a political force that was both Conservative and Unionist. |
| "Let's get beyond the old politics of constitution, and orange or green, let's have a national political party that can stand up for people on all of the issues they care about," he said. | "Let's get beyond the old politics of constitution, and orange or green, let's have a national political party that can stand up for people on all of the issues they care about," he said. |
| "People in Northern Ireland that maybe haven't gotten involved in politics in the past, can think 'Yes, I could join in.' It's a nation-wide party, it's part of the Conservative movement, I can get involved in that. | "People in Northern Ireland that maybe haven't gotten involved in politics in the past, can think 'Yes, I could join in.' It's a nation-wide party, it's part of the Conservative movement, I can get involved in that. |
| "It is a political party which is going to stand up for me, is going to get things done for me, is going to stand up for the issues I care about - whether it is fighting crime, giving me more opportunity or strengthening families. | "It is a political party which is going to stand up for me, is going to get things done for me, is going to stand up for the issues I care about - whether it is fighting crime, giving me more opportunity or strengthening families. |
| "All of the things we campaign for in politics in other parts of the country." | "All of the things we campaign for in politics in other parts of the country." |
| Ulster Unionist leader Sir Reg Empey said his party wanted "the opportunity to explore whether we can play a meaningful role in national politics, as well as local politics". | |
| "We are exploring practical avenues as to how we can give practical expression to the unionism of everybody in Northern Ireland and offer them a product that clearly demonstrates that we're going beyond the parochial issues," he said. | |
| "I think if you look at what's happening to the Union as a whole, there are threats coming from areas that have never come before. There's a nationalist government in Scotland, we've nationalists in coalition in Wales, we've nationalists here in Northern Ireland. | |
| "I think what David Cameron has been doing is setting out a vision for how the entire union should develop and that's the area we want to get into." | |
| The two leaders said the group will report to them in the autumn. | |
| Shadow secretary of state Owen Patterson is visiting Northern Ireland on Thursday. | Shadow secretary of state Owen Patterson is visiting Northern Ireland on Thursday. |