Conference

My name is Alexander Redpath, I am the Chairman of the Ulster Young Unionists, an Ulster Unionist Party Officer and I was recently elected to Lisburn and Castlereagh Council representing Downshire West.

Over the course of today you have heard several of our young unionist Councillors introducing the key note speakers. No other party puts such an emphasis on their young members. This is because the Ulster Unionist Party encourages and supports their young people not just at conference but also at election time.

The Young Unionists enjoyed unprecedented success in the recent local government elections. 13 Young Unionist candidates secured 11 seats with 8,207 votes. Young Unionists now make up 1/8 of our Council team and represent 7 of the 11 Super Councils. This was an enormous achievement by our young members and I am sure we all wish to recognise the hard work, tenacity and ambition of our young candidates.

Our success in recent elections was not just limited to our Young Unionists but was felt across the country, including in my own constituency of Lagan Valley. On the last occasion I addressed this conference I made you a promise on behalf of Lagan Valley Association. We promised that we would show that Ulster Unionism was alive and well in Lagan Valley. We kept our promise.

We increased both our absolute number of votes and our percentage share. So today I’m here to make you another promise. We will retake our Assembly seat.

None of this would have been possible without the man I am about to introduce. Who would have thought a few years ago that we would be standing today as the only Executive Party to increase our vote in the local government elections. We are more united, disciplined and effective than we have ever been before and it is all down to the leadership of Mike Nesbitt.

Ladies and Gentlemen it is my pleasure to introduce the Leader of the Ulster Unionist Party. Mike Nesbitt MLA.