Ulster Unionist Party facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ulster Unionist Party
Abbreviation	UUP
Leader	Mike Nesbitt
President	Daphne Trimble
Chairman	The Lord Elliott of Ballinamallard
Deputy Leader	Robbie Butler
Founded	3 March 1905; 120 years ago (1905-03-03)
Preceded by	Irish Unionist Alliance
Headquarters	Strandtown Hall 2–4 Belmont Road Belfast BT4 2AN
Youth wing	Young Unionists
Women's wing	Ulster Women's Unionist Council
Ideology	British unionism Conservatism (British)
Political position	Centre-right
European affiliation	None
National affiliation	Conservative Party (1922–1972; 2009–2012)
Colours	Blue
Slogan	A Union of People
House of Commons (NI seats)	1 / 18
House of Lords	2 / 777
NI Assembly	9 / 90
Councillors in Northern Ireland	52 / 462
Councils led	2 / 11
Politics of Northern Ireland Political parties

The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) is a political party in Northern Ireland. It supports Northern Ireland remaining part of the United Kingdom. The party started as the Ulster Unionist Council in 1905. It grew from another group called the Irish Unionist Alliance in Ulster.

A famous leader, Edward Carson, led the party in opposing Home Rule for Ireland. Home Rule meant Ireland would have its own government but still be part of the UK. After Ireland was divided in 1921, the UUP was the main party in charge of Northern Ireland until 1972. During the time of conflict known as the Troubles, many people who supported staying in the UK voted for the UUP. It was often called the Official Unionist Party (OUP).

Under David Trimble, the party helped create the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. This agreement helped to end the conflict. David Trimble became the first First Minister of Northern Ireland from 1998 to 2002. However, in 2003, another party, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), became the biggest party that supported staying in the UK. As of 2022, the UUP is the fourth-largest party in the Northern Ireland Assembly. The parties bigger than them are Sinn Féin, the DUP, and the Alliance Party. Since August 2024, Mike Nesbitt has been the leader of the UUP.

From 1905 to 1972, UUP politicians in the UK Parliament worked closely with the Conservative Party. They were like the Northern Irish part of that party. This stopped in 1972 because of disagreements about the Sunningdale Agreement. The two parties have been separate since then, except for a short time between 2009 and 2012 when they worked together for elections.

Party History

The Ulster Unionist Party officially began as the Ulster Unionist Council in 1905. It is the oldest political party in Ireland.

Early Years: 1886 to 1905

Organised groups that wanted to keep Ireland part of the UK started forming after 1886. This was when William Ewart Gladstone tried to introduce laws for Home Rule in Ireland. In 1891, the Irish Conservative Party joined with other groups to form the Irish Unionist Alliance (IUA). This new group included people who had left the Liberal Party because of Home Rule.

The Ulster Defence Union was also created in 1893 to stop the government's Home Rule plans. Most people who supported staying in the UK lived in Ulster, especially in the areas that later became Northern Ireland. However, there were also supporters in other parts of Ireland, like Dublin and County Cork.

From 1905 to 1921

In 1904, the government suggested some limited self-rule for Ireland. This worried Irish unionists. So, in March 1905, the Ulster Unionist Council was formed. This group later became the Ulster Unionist Party. It helped organise local political activities.

From the start, the new group worked closely with the Orange Order. This is a Protestant organisation. In the beginning, 25% of the Ulster Unionist Council members were from the Orange Order. The first leaders of the Ulster unionists were not from what would become Northern Ireland. For example, Colonel Saunderson and Walter Hume Long were leaders of both the Irish Unionist Alliance and the Ulster Unionist Council.

Sir Edward Carson, who was from Dublin, became the first leader of the Ulster Unionist Party in 1910. He strongly fought against Irish Home Rule. He also helped create the Ulster Volunteers in 1912 to oppose Home Rule.

In 1912, the Liberal Unionist Party joined with the Conservatives. This led to the Conservative Party being called the "Conservative and Unionist Party." The Ulster Unionist Party was formally linked to them until 1985.

After the Partition of Ireland in 1920, Irish unionism split. Many unionist politicians in the south of Ireland accepted the new Irish Free State. In Northern Ireland, the Ulster Unionist Party became very strong. It took control of the new Government of Northern Ireland in 1921.

Carson did not like the idea of Ireland being divided. He refused to be Prime Minister of Northern Ireland. Instead, Sir James Craig became the leader of the UUP and Northern Ireland.

Edward Carson inspecting the UVF before 1914.

The Stormont Era: Working with the Conservatives

From 1920 to 1963

For most of its time in power in Northern Ireland, the UUP was led by people from wealthy families or important business backgrounds. Only the last Prime Minister, Brian Faulkner, came from a middle-class background. During this time, almost all UUP politicians in the Northern Ireland Parliament were members of the Orange Order. All the Prime Ministers were also members.

Sir James Craig, who became Viscount Craigavon, led the Northern Ireland government from 1921 until he passed away in 1940. His successor, J. M. Andrews, was criticised for choosing older politicians for his team. In 1943, he resigned and Sir Basil Brooke (later Viscount Brookeborough) took over.

Lord Brookeborough was Prime Minister for a long time. He retired in 1963, and Terence O'Neill became the new leader.

From 1963 to 1972

In the 1960s, people started campaigning for civil rights in Northern Ireland. They wanted changes to how public housing was given out and how people voted in local elections. Terence O'Neill tried to make some changes, but this caused big disagreements within the Ulster Unionist Party.

James Chichester-Clark took over from O'Neill in 1969. He continued to make reforms. However, public disorder continued. In August 1969, there were riots in Derry. In 1971, Chichester-Clark asked the British government for more military help, but they refused. He then resigned. Brian Faulkner became the new leader.

Faulkner's government faced many challenges. After an event called Bloody Sunday in 1972, the British Government decided to take control of the security forces from Northern Ireland's government. Faulkner and his team resigned. The British Government then suspended the Northern Ireland Parliament and took direct control. This was called Direct Rule.

Some members who supported O'Neill's reforms left the UUP and formed the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland in 1970. Also, Ian Paisley's Protestant Unionist Party started to gain support from some working-class unionists.

From 1972 to 1995

Ulster Unionist Party, 1974.

In 1973, the UUP won most seats in the new Northern Ireland Assembly. However, the party was divided. The Sunningdale Agreement led to a power-sharing government with Brian Faulkner as leader. This agreement caused a big split in the party. Faulkner was later replaced by Harry West in 1974.

In the February 1974 election, the UUP joined with other unionist parties to form the United Ulster Unionist Council (UUUC). They won 11 out of 12 parliamentary seats in Northern Ireland. This showed strong opposition to the Sunningdale Agreement, which soon collapsed.

Before 1972, UUP politicians in the UK Parliament worked with the Conservative Party. But in 1972, they stopped working together to protest the suspension of the Northern Ireland Parliament. In 1985, they also left the main Conservative association to protest the Anglo-Irish Agreement. After this, the Conservative Party started its own group in Northern Ireland, but it did not win many elections.

Under Harry West, the party gained a new member, Enoch Powell, who became a UUP Member of Parliament (MP) in 1974. Powell believed Northern Ireland should be fully part of the UK, like any other region. This idea caused disagreements within the party. The UUP also gained members from other unionist parties that broke up. James Molyneaux became the leader in 1979 and led the party until 1995.

David Trimble's Leadership

David Trimble led the party from 1995 to 2005. His support for the Belfast Agreement caused some members to leave the party. Trimble became the first First Minister of Northern Ireland in the power-sharing government set up by the agreement.

The UUP had a Catholic member in the Northern Ireland Assembly, Sir John Gorman, until 2003. In 2005, the Orange Order decided to end its official links with the UUP. Trimble faced criticism from the Orange Order for attending a Catholic funeral for a boy killed in the Omagh bombing. To show unity, Trimble and President of Ireland Mary McAleese walked into the church together.

In the 2005 general election, the UUP lost many of its seats in the UK Parliament. David Trimble himself lost his seat and resigned as party leader. Reg Empey won the next leadership election.

Reg Empey's Leadership

In 2006, UUP leader Reg Empey tried to create a new group in the Assembly that would include David Ervine, the leader of the Progressive Unionist Party (PUP). The PUP was linked to the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF). Many in the UUP, including their only remaining MP, Sylvia Hermon, did not agree with this idea. The Speaker of the Assembly ruled that this new group was not a political party.

The party lost 9 seats in the 2007 Northern Ireland Assembly election and kept 18 members. Empey was the only leader of the four main parties who was not re-elected easily.

In 2008, the UUP and the Conservative Party announced they were looking into working more closely. In 2009, they agreed to run joint candidates in elections for the UK Parliament and European Parliament. This new group was called "Ulster Conservatives and Unionists – New Force" (UCUNF). This agreement meant UUP MPs could sit in a Conservative government, restarting a relationship that had ended in 1974. However, Sylvia Hermon, the UUP's only MP, did not support this.

In 2010, Hermon left the party and ran as an independent candidate. This meant the UUP had no members in the UK Parliament for the first time since it was created. In the 2010 United Kingdom general election, UCUNF did not win any seats in Northern Ireland. The UCUNF name was not used again.

Tom Elliott's Leadership

After the 2010 election, Empey resigned. Tom Elliott became the new party leader. Some people saw his election as a move to the right for the UUP. Soon after he was elected, three candidates from the 2010 election left the party.

UUP Headquarters – Strandtown Hall, Belfast

The party lost two seats in the 2011 Northern Ireland Assembly election. It also received fewer votes than the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP). In the 2011 Northern Ireland local elections, the party lost seats to the Alliance Party.

Tom Elliott resigned in March 2012, saying some people had not given him a "fair opportunity." Mike Nesbitt was elected leader on March 31, 2012.

Mike Nesbitt's First Leadership

In the 2014 European election, Jim Nicholson kept his seat as a Member of European Parliament (MEP). The party also gained 15 seats in the 2014 Northern Ireland local elections that same day.

In the 2015 United Kingdom general election, the UUP returned to the UK Parliament. They won two seats: South Antrim from the DUP and Fermanagh & South Tyrone from Sinn Féin.

In 2016, the UUP and the SDLP decided not to join the Northern Ireland government. Instead, they formed an official opposition. This was the first time the UUP was not part of the government in Northern Ireland.

In the 2016 European Union referendum, the UUP was the only unionist party to support staying in the European Union.

Robin Swann's Leadership

In the 2017 United Kingdom general election, the UUP lost both of its seats in the UK Parliament. They lost South Antrim to the DUP and Fermanagh & South Tyrone to Sinn Féin.

In the 2019 Northern Ireland local elections, the UUP won 75 council seats, which was 13 fewer than in 2014.

They also lost their only MEP in the 2019 European Parliament elections after Jim Nicholson retired. Steve Aiken became the leader in November 2019.

Steve Aiken's Leadership

The party's vote share increased in the 2019 United Kingdom general election, but they did not win any seats. Their closest result was in Fermanagh and South Tyrone, where Tom Elliott lost by only 57 votes.

Doug Beattie's Leadership

Steve Aiken resigned on May 8, 2021. Doug Beattie was elected as the new leader on May 17, 2021. Beattie, a former soldier, is seen as a modern unionist. Many thought his leadership would help the party gain support from people in the middle ground of politics.

After Beattie became leader, several new members joined the party. These included councillors from other parties and a former Irish Senator.

In October 2021, a UUP councillor, Harold McKee, resigned from the party. He said he disagreed with Beattie's promotion of "liberal values."

The party ran candidates in all 18 areas in the 2022 Northern Ireland Assembly election. They received 96,390 votes, which was 11.2% of the total. They had 9 members elected to the Assembly, one less than in 2017.

In the 2023 Northern Ireland local elections, Beattie said the election was a choice between "delivery or dysfunction." The UUP ran 101 candidates and promised things like "city and growth deals" and "below inflation rate rises." They received 81,282 votes, which was 10.9% of the total. The party had 54 councillors elected, 21 fewer than in 2019.

After these losses, Beattie said that parties supporting the union were likely to "take a hit" because Sinn Féin gained more votes.

Before the 2024 United Kingdom general election, the UUP said they would "absolutely" not make an electoral pact with the DUP. Robbie Butler, the UUP's deputy leader, said that politics is about "maximising and having confidence in your own voice." In January 2024, it was announced that Iraq veteran Tim Collins had joined the UUP. He was chosen to be the party's candidate for the North Down area.

In May 2024, a councillor, Paul Michael, left the party. This happened after the decision to replace Robin Swann with Mike Nesbitt as Health Minister.

The UUP returned to the UK Parliament after the 2024 general election when Robin Swann won in South Antrim. Beattie announced he was stepping down as leader in August 2024. Former leader Mike Nesbitt took over.

Mike Nesbitt's Second Leadership

In June 2025, Colin Crawford, a UUP member of the Assembly for North Antrim, announced he was stepping down. This followed a disagreement within the party about how to respond to the 2025 Northern Ireland riots. In July 2025, Andy Allen resigned as the Ulster Unionist Chief Whip. The party is finding it hard to find someone to take his place.

Party Leaders

Image	Name	Time as Leader		Notes
	Colonel Edward Saunderson	1905	1906	Also led the Irish Unionist Party
	Walter Hume Long	1906	1910	Also led the Irish Unionist Party
	Sir Edward Carson	1910	1921	Also led the Irish Unionist Party
	The Viscount Craigavon	1921	1940	1st Prime Minister of Northern Ireland
	J. M. Andrews	1940	1943	2nd Prime Minister of Northern Ireland
	The Viscount Brookeborough	1943	1963	3rd Prime Minister of Northern Ireland
	Captain Terence O'Neill	1963	1969	4th Prime Minister of Northern Ireland
	James Chichester-Clark	1969	1971	5th Prime Minister of Northern Ireland
	Brian Faulkner	1971	1974	6th and final Prime Minister of Northern Ireland (1971-1972) 1st and final Chief Executive of Northern Ireland (1974)
	Harry West	1974	1979
	James Molyneaux	1979	1995
	David Trimble	1995	2005	1st First Minister of Northern Ireland (1998-2001, 2001-2002)
	Sir Reg Empey	2005	2010	Acting First Minister of Northern Ireland (2001) Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (1998-2002) Minister for Employment and Learning (2007-2010)
	Tom Elliott	2010	2012
	Mike Nesbitt	2012	2017	Led the Opposition (2016-17)
	Robin Swann	2017	2019	Minister of Health (2020-22, 2024)
	Steve Aiken	2019	2021
	Doug Beattie	2021	2024
	Mike Nesbitt	2024	present	Minister of Health (2024–present)

Deputy Leaders

The UUP created the Deputy Leader position on March 29, 2025. The first Deputy Leader was chosen on July 5, 2025. Before this, the person who was Deputy Leader of the Assembly Group was often called the UUP's Deputy Leader by mistake.

Image	Name	Time as Deputy Leader		Notes
	Robbie Butler	2025	present	Chairperson of Committee for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (2024-present) Deputy Leader of the Assembly Group (2021-present)

How the Party is Organised

The UUP is organised around the Ulster Unionist Council. From 1905 until 2004, this was the only official part of the party. In 2004, the UUP became its own official group, but the Ulster Unionist Council is still the main decision-making body. Since 2007, all UUP members are part of the Ulster Unionist Council. They can vote for the Leader, other party officials, and on big policy decisions.

Each area for UK Parliament elections in Northern Ireland has a UUP association. These are made up of smaller local groups called branches. There are also four "representative bodies": the Ulster Women's Unionist Council, the Ulster Young Unionist Council, the Westminster Unionist Association (for members in Great Britain), and the Ulster Unionist Councillors Association. Each of these groups chooses members for the executive committee, which helps run the party.

The UUP had a formal link with the Orange Order from its start until 2005. It also had a link with the Apprentice Boys of Derry until 1975. The Orange Order ended its link with the UUP in 2004.

Youth Wing

The UUP's group for young people is called the Young Unionists. It was restarted in March 2004. There are Young Unionist student groups at Queen's University Belfast and Ulster University.

LGBT+ Wing

In 2024, the UUP created an LGBT+ group called Pride in the Union. It is led by Vicky Trimble, the daughter of former leader David Trimble. The UUP has taken part in Pride events for many years. Jeff Dudgeon, who successfully campaigned to make homosexuality legal, is a member of the party.

Party Representatives

In the UK Parliament

Members of the House of Commons elected in July 2024:

Portrait	Name	Since	Notes
	Robin Swann	2024	MP for South Antrim Also an MLA for North Antrim (2011-2024) Former Leader of the UUP (2017-2019) Chief Whip of the UUP (2012-2017)

The party ran candidates in 17 of the 18 Northern Ireland areas in the 2024 United Kingdom general election. They did not run a candidate in North Belfast.

Members of the House of Lords as of June 2024:

Portrait	Name	Since	Notes
	The Lord Empey	2011	MLA for Belfast East (1998-2011) Leader of the UUP (2005-2010) and Chairman (2012-2019) of the UUP
	The Lord Rogan	1999	Deputy Speaker of the House of Lords (2018-present) Leader of the UUP in the House of Lords (2009-present) President of the UUP (2004-2006)
	The Lord Elliott of Ballinamallard	2024	MLA for Fermanagh and South Tyrone (2003-2015, 2022-present) Chair of the Committee for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (2024-present) Leader of the UUP (2010-2012) MP for Fermanagh and South Tyrone (2015-2017)

In the Northern Ireland Assembly

Members of the Northern Ireland Assembly elected in May 2022:

Portrait	Name	Since	Notes
	Steve Aiken	2016	MLA for South Antrim Deputy Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly (2024-present) Leader of the UUP (2019-2021)
	Andy Allen	2015	MLA for Belfast East
	Diana Armstrong	2024	MLA for Fermanagh and South Tyrone
	Doug Beattie	2016	MLA for Upper Bann Leader of the UUP (2021-2024)
	Robbie Butler	2016	MLA for Lagan Valley Deputy Leader of the UUP (2025-present) Deputy Leader of the Assembly Group (2021-present)
	Alan Chambers	2016	MLA for North Down
	Colin Crawford	2024	MLA for North Antrim (Leaving soon)
	Mike Nesbitt	2011	MLA for Strangford Leader of the UUP (2012-2017, 2024-present)
	John Stewart	2017	MLA for East Antrim

Northern Ireland Government Ministers

Portrait	Name	Since	Role
	Mike Nesbitt	2024	Minister of Health

Party Spokespersons

These are the current people who speak for the party on different topics:

Management Board (Party Officials)

These are the current officials who manage the party:

Honorary President

• Daphne Trimble

Election Results

Northern Ireland Assembly Elections

Election	Leader	Body	Votes	%	Seats	+/–	Position	Status
1921	Viscount Craigavon	House of Commons	343,347	66.9	40 / 52	40	1st	Majority
1925			211,662	55.0	32 / 52	8	1st	Majority
1929			148,579	50.8	37 / 52	5	1st	Majority
1933			73,791	43.5	36 / 52	1	1st	Majority
1938			187,684	56.8	39 / 52	3	1st	Majority
1945	Viscount Brookeborough		180,342	50.4	33 / 52	6	1st	Majority
1949			237,411	62.7	37 / 52	4	1st	Majority
1953			125,379	48.6	38 / 52	1	1st	Majority
1958			106,177	44.0	37 / 52	1	1st	Majority
1962			147,629	48.8	34 / 52	3	1st	Majority
1965	Terence O'Neill		191,896	59.1	36 / 52	2	1st	Majority
1969			269,501	48.2	36 / 52		1st	Majority
1973	Brian Faulkner	Assembly	258,790	35.8	31 / 78	5	1st	Coalition
1975	Harry West	Constitutional Convention	167,214	25.4	19 / 78	12	1st	Consultative
1982	James Molyneaux	Assembly	188,277	29.7	26 / 78	7	1st	Largest party
1996	David Trimble	Forum	181,829	24.2	30 / 110	4	1st	Consultative
1998		Assembly	172,225	21.3	28 / 108	2	1st	Coalition
2003			156,931	22.7	27 / 108	1	2nd	Direct rule
2007	Reg Empey		103,145	14.9	18 / 108	9	3rd	Coalition
2011	Tom Elliott		87,531	13.2	16 / 108	2	3rd	Coalition (2011–2015)
								Opposition (2015–2016)
2016	Mike Nesbitt		87,302	12.6	16 / 108		3rd	Opposition
2017			103,314	12.9	10 / 90	6	4th	Coalition
2022	Doug Beattie		96,390	11.2	9 / 90	1	4th	Coalition

UK Parliament Elections

Election	Leader	Northern Ireland					Status
		Votes	%	Seats	+/–	Position
1922	Viscount Craigavon	69,357	57.2	11 / 13	11	1st	Majority
1923		79,453	49.4	11 / 13		1st	Opposition
1924		286,895	83.8	13 / 13	2	1st	Majority
1929		247,291	68.0	11 / 13	2	1st	Opposition
1931		149,566	56.1	11 / 13		1st	Majority
1935		292,840	64.9	11 / 13		1st	Majority
1945	Viscount Brookeborough	394,373	61.0	9 / 13	2	1st	Opposition
1950		352,334	62.8	10 / 12	1	1st	Opposition
1951		274,928	59.4	9 / 12	1	1st	Majority
1955		442,647	68.5	10 / 12	1	1st	Majority
1959		445,013	77.2	12 / 12	2	1st	Majority
1964	Terence O'Neill	401,897	63.2	12 / 12		1st	Opposition
1966		368,629	61.8	11 / 12	1	1st	Opposition
1970	James Chichester-Clark	422,041	54.3	8 / 12	3	1st	Majority (1970–1973)
							Opposition (1973–1974)
Feb 1974	Harry West	232,103	32.3	7 / 12	1	1st	Opposition
Oct 1974		256,053	36.5	6 / 12	1	1st	Opposition
1979		254,578	36.6	5 / 12	1	1st	Opposition
1983	James Molyneaux	259,952	34.0	11 / 17	6	1st	Opposition
1987		276,230	37.8	9 / 17	2	1st	Opposition
1992		271,049	34.5	9 / 17		1st	Opposition
1997	David Trimble	258,439	32.7	10 / 18	1	1st	Opposition
2001		216,839	26.7	6 / 18	4	1st	Opposition
2005		127,414	17.7	1 / 18	5	3rd	Opposition
2010	Sir Reg Empey	102,361	15.2	0 / 18	1	15th	No seats
2015	Mike Nesbitt	114,935	16.0	2 / 18	2	4th	Opposition
2017	Robin Swann	83,280	10.3	0 / 18	2	12th	No seats
2019	Steve Aiken	93,123	11.7	0 / 18		12th	No seats
2024	Doug Beattie	94,779	12.2	1 / 18	1	4th	Opposition

Local Government Elections

Election	Votes	%	Seats	+/–
1973	255,187	17.0	194 / 517	194
1977	166,971	30.0	176 / 526	18
1981	175,965	26.4	151 / 526	25
1985	188,497	29.5	189 / 565	38
1989	193,064	31.3	194 / 565	5
1993	184,082	29.0	197 / 582	3
1997	175,036	28.0	185 / 575	12
2001	181,336	23.0	154 / 582	29
2005	126,317	18.0	115 / 582	39
2011	100,643	15.2	99 / 583	16
2014	101,385	16.1	88 / 462	11
2019	95,320	14.1	75 / 462	13
2023	81,282	10.9	54 / 462	21

European Parliament Elections

Election	Votes	%	Seats	+/–	Position
1979	125,169	21.9	1 / 3	1	3rd
1984	147,169	21.5	1 / 3		2nd
1989	118,785	22.0	1 / 3		3rd
1994	133,459	22.8	1 / 3		3rd
1999	119,507	17.6	1 / 3		3rd
2004	91,164	16.6	1 / 3		3rd
2009	82,892	17.0	1 / 3		3rd
2014	83,438	13.3	1 / 3		3rd
2019	53,052	9.3	0 / 3	1	6th

See also

In Spanish: Partido Unionista del Úlster para niños

• Ulster Unionist Party politicians
• List of Ulster Unionist Party peers
• List of Ulster Unionist Party MPs
• Ulster Unionist Chief Whip
• Ulster Unionist Party Presidents and General Secretaries