This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/7971533.stm
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Tories wanted to merge with UUP | Tories wanted to merge with UUP |
| (28 minutes later) | |
| Documents obtained by the BBC reveal that the Conservatives wanted to merge with the Ulster Unionists and set up a new party in Northern Ireland. | Documents obtained by the BBC reveal that the Conservatives wanted to merge with the Ulster Unionists and set up a new party in Northern Ireland. |
| It would have been called the Northern Ireland Conservative and Unionist Party - to be known as NICUP. | It would have been called the Northern Ireland Conservative and Unionist Party - to be known as NICUP. |
| The Tories wanted the new party to have David Cameron as its leader with Sir Reg Empey as treasurer. | The Tories wanted the new party to have David Cameron as its leader with Sir Reg Empey as treasurer. |
| The UUP rejected the idea and the two parties formed an electoral alliance rather than establish a new party. | The UUP rejected the idea and the two parties formed an electoral alliance rather than establish a new party. |
| The details are contained in a draft report which was presented to the UUP at the beginning of inter-party negotiations last year. | The details are contained in a draft report which was presented to the UUP at the beginning of inter-party negotiations last year. |
| The new party would have initially been run by a five strong executive consisting of three Conservatives and two Ulster Unionists. This group would have selected candidates | The new party would have initially been run by a five strong executive consisting of three Conservatives and two Ulster Unionists. This group would have selected candidates |
| The idea was rejected by the Ulster Unionists. The UUP leadership simply was not prepared to end their party's 103 year history. | The idea was rejected by the Ulster Unionists. The UUP leadership simply was not prepared to end their party's 103 year history. |
| 'Opening gambit' | |
| Negotiations continued and last month the two parties agreed to form an electoral alliance. | Negotiations continued and last month the two parties agreed to form an electoral alliance. |
| It will fight elections under the name Ulster Conservatives and Unionists - New Force. (UCUNF) | It will fight elections under the name Ulster Conservatives and Unionists - New Force. (UCUNF) |
| The Ulster Unionists described the document as 'an opening gambit'. | |
| "If you contrast this to what happened you can see that it is not a merger but an alliance which is about creating a new political force," a spokesman said. | |
| Owen Paterson, the Conservative party's Northern Ireland spokesman. who was involved in the negotiations, said: "We looked at many different options early on and decided our current relationship is by far the best arrangement." | |
| Peter Weir of the DUP said the revelation was 'embarrassing' and showed that some parties involved in the creation of UCUNF were deeply unhappy with the end product. | Peter Weir of the DUP said the revelation was 'embarrassing' and showed that some parties involved in the creation of UCUNF were deeply unhappy with the end product. |