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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Cameron admits UUP difficulties | Cameron admits UUP difficulties |
| (9 minutes later) | |
| Attempts by the Conservative Party and the UUP to form a new political movement are facing some difficulties, Tory leader David Cameron has admitted. | Attempts by the Conservative Party and the UUP to form a new political movement are facing some difficulties, Tory leader David Cameron has admitted. |
| The Ulster Unionists' only MP, Lady Sylvia Hermon, has so far not committed to taking the Conservative whip. | The Ulster Unionists' only MP, Lady Sylvia Hermon, has so far not committed to taking the Conservative whip. |
| "It's a lot to ask of people, not to change their allegiance, but to look into the future and say 'we can make this work'," said Mr Cameron. | "It's a lot to ask of people, not to change their allegiance, but to look into the future and say 'we can make this work'," said Mr Cameron. |
| He said he "passionately" believed such an arrangement could be achieved. | He said he "passionately" believed such an arrangement could be achieved. |
| "It's a chance to make Northern Ireland politics less sectarian and more about the issues we deal with right across the United Kingdom," he said. | "It's a chance to make Northern Ireland politics less sectarian and more about the issues we deal with right across the United Kingdom," he said. |
| The Conservative leader said that he did not believe agreeing a link with one Northern Ireland party would prove an obstacle to his ability to be an honest broker, should he become prime minister in the future. | |
| Every seat | Every seat |
| At the weekend, Conservative peer and former UUP leader Lord Trimble announced that the party would fight for every seat in the UK, including Northern Ireland, at the next General Election. | At the weekend, Conservative peer and former UUP leader Lord Trimble announced that the party would fight for every seat in the UK, including Northern Ireland, at the next General Election. |
| Lord Trimble told the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham he hoped the party would have the help of the UUP at the next election. | Lord Trimble told the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham he hoped the party would have the help of the UUP at the next election. |
| However, DUP junior minister Jeffrey Donaldson has warned that any merger between the Conservatives and the Ulster Unionists would be damaging for unionist co-operation at future elections. | However, DUP junior minister Jeffrey Donaldson has warned that any merger between the Conservatives and the Ulster Unionists would be damaging for unionist co-operation at future elections. |
| Mr Donaldson, who is hosting a fringe meeting at the Conservative conference on Monday, said: "How on earth do we build unionist unity if, as Lord Trimble announced on Sunday, the Conservatives and Ulster Unionists are going to contest every seat in Northern Ireland. | Mr Donaldson, who is hosting a fringe meeting at the Conservative conference on Monday, said: "How on earth do we build unionist unity if, as Lord Trimble announced on Sunday, the Conservatives and Ulster Unionists are going to contest every seat in Northern Ireland. |
| "This means we won't have a unionist pact in south Belfast or in Fermanagh and South Tyrone, and once again those seats will be won by nationalists by default because unionism can't agree." | "This means we won't have a unionist pact in south Belfast or in Fermanagh and South Tyrone, and once again those seats will be won by nationalists by default because unionism can't agree." |