Empey faces pressure for SF spurning declaration

Reg Empey will today face a request from his closest leadership challenger, Alan McFarland, for an urgent meeting over his refusal to go into government with Sinn Féin ahead of the next Assembly Election.

58-year-old Empey, a former Stormont Economy Minister, defeated Mr McFarland by 321 votes to 287.

With his wife Stella by his side, he confirmed that he had promised delegates, including South Antrim Assembly member David Burnside, that he would not join Sin Féin in government.

"I made it clear in my literature that this party will not participate in an executive which includes Sinn Féin in the lifetime of this Assembly," the East Belfast MLA declared.

But Mr McFarland, a member of the Northern Ireland Policing Board, said he was not comfortable with the idea.

"The Ulster Unionist Party does not do opposition well," the North Down MLA responded.

"We are not natural whingers and shouters in terms of wondering around corridors campaigning and staying out of government.

"I think you lose influence. I think you lose PR. It is bad PR to be wondering around outside and the worst thing is that we end up allowing Sinn Féin and the DUP who be in government without any constraints.

"As far as I am concerned, this is a bit daft. Clearly I have to discuss the matter with Reg and with others over the next week or so as to whether that is an acceptable way for the Ulster Unionist Party to be behaving."

As he takes over the helm of the UUP, Empey has inherited a party from David Trimble that will need to be rebuilt, one which has lost confidence since falling behind Ian Paisley's Democratic Unionists in recent elections.

Empey has vowed to bring new blood to the fore, and is also expected to reward party stalwarts like Assembly members Danny Kennedy and Tom Elliott.