Reg Empey launched his leadership bid for the Ulster Unionist Party last night, confirming that he would be one of the candidates standing when the Ulster Unionist Council meets on 24th June to elect its new leader.

He claimed that if he became leader the party would once again start listening to it's grassroots. One of the main criticisms of the UUP, even before the disastrous election results in May, was that the leadership was out of touch with the ordinary members.

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He also claimed the UUP would see "significant personnel changes in the broad leadership" of the party, saying younger members would be brought forward to positions of responsibility. Young people definitely need to be encouraged, in my opinion, in the Ulster Unionist Party. After Paisley, the DUP's front line definitely seem to have a much younger frontline than the UUP.

At the news conference where he announced his leadership it emerged, according to the BBC, that he has the backing of over half the MLAs and MEP Jim Nicholson.