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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| IRA must disappear - UUP's Empey | IRA must disappear - UUP's Empey |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The IRA should disband and disappear, Ulster Unionist leader Sir Reg Empey has told his party conference. | The IRA should disband and disappear, Ulster Unionist leader Sir Reg Empey has told his party conference. |
| Sir Reg also said that the public spats within his party were now over and he was tired of Ian Paisley claiming credit for Ulster Unionist achievement. | Sir Reg also said that the public spats within his party were now over and he was tired of Ian Paisley claiming credit for Ulster Unionist achievement. |
| "I accept the IRA has changed in the last few years," he said. | "I accept the IRA has changed in the last few years," he said. |
| "But rather than believing that it has gone away entirely, I suspect that it may actually be in a form of suspended animation - a hibernation." | "But rather than believing that it has gone away entirely, I suspect that it may actually be in a form of suspended animation - a hibernation." |
| The UUP leader told the party's annual conference on Saturday: "But the 'potential' of the IRA still exists and it will exist for so long as the IRA itself exists. | The UUP leader told the party's annual conference on Saturday: "But the 'potential' of the IRA still exists and it will exist for so long as the IRA itself exists. |
| "The IRA needs to disappear altogether, disband, dismantle all of its structures. | |
| "That, and that alone, would be the clearest possible sign to unionism that we really are living in a new political dispensation." | "That, and that alone, would be the clearest possible sign to unionism that we really are living in a new political dispensation." |
| 'Disappointing elections' | 'Disappointing elections' |
| Sir Reg also told delegates there should be a business tax regime which would enable Northern Ireland to compete internationally. | Sir Reg also told delegates there should be a business tax regime which would enable Northern Ireland to compete internationally. |
| "This isn't just about Corporation Tax alone, but fuel duties relative to the Republic," he said. | "This isn't just about Corporation Tax alone, but fuel duties relative to the Republic," he said. |
| Earlier, Ulster Unionist members backed wide-ranging reforms proposed in a review headed by Sir Reg. | Earlier, Ulster Unionist members backed wide-ranging reforms proposed in a review headed by Sir Reg. |
| SDLP minister Margaret Ritchie was invited to speak | |
| The vote was held at an extraordinary general meeting in Belfast ahead of the annual conference. | The vote was held at an extraordinary general meeting in Belfast ahead of the annual conference. |
| They overwhelmingly adopted the plans designed to help the party fight back following a series of disappointing elections and internal splits. | They overwhelmingly adopted the plans designed to help the party fight back following a series of disappointing elections and internal splits. |
| The reforms mean all members, and not just those on the ruling council, can vote in leadership elections. | The reforms mean all members, and not just those on the ruling council, can vote in leadership elections. |
| The Ulster Unionist Council will also be open to all members instead of selected delegates. | The Ulster Unionist Council will also be open to all members instead of selected delegates. |
| However, the selection of candidates will be more centralised, with less power for its 18 constituency associations. | However, the selection of candidates will be more centralised, with less power for its 18 constituency associations. |
| In response to a chronic under-representation of women and young people, both groups will in future be represented among the party officers. | In response to a chronic under-representation of women and young people, both groups will in future be represented among the party officers. |