Sir Reg to stand for East Belfast Westminster seat

Senior Ulster Unionist Sir Reg Empey is to stand against the DUP’s Peter Robinson for the East Belfast Westminster seat at next year’s General Election.

Sir Reg said he was determined to reverse “the 25 years of decline suffered by the area” since Mr Robinson was elected Member of Parliament for the constituency in 1979.

"As we move forward to next year´s local government elections and a possible Westminster election, this is the time for East Belfast Ulster Unionist Association to set out its vision for the way ahead during the next five years in the constituency,” Sir Reg said.

“The last twenty five years have seen a steady decline in the population of East Belfast. While we have seen some areas of new housing growth, especially apartments, the moonscapes that exist in many inner city areas are proof that communities have been torn apart, populations scattered and the survival of both schools and churches threatened.”

Responding to today’s announcement, Mr Robinson said he welcomed the news.

“I am looking forward to a re-run of a contest which I won the last time with a ratio of almost two to one,” he said. “The main difference on this occasion is the massive increase in support for the DUP province wide, which was shown in the Assembly election where the DUP vote increased by eight percent.

“The electorate will be able to make a clear comparison between Sir Reg who was the architect of the failed Agreement and whose negotiating incompetence and tardiness has cost unionism dearly, and the sitting Member of Parliament who is standing up to Sinn Fein and forcing that organisation onto ground it has never occupied before.”

In the 2001 General Election, Ulster Unionist candidate Tim Lemon failed in his bid to become MP with Mr Robinson securing a 7,117 majority.

(MB/SP)