Sir Reg Empey faces his first annual conference as leader of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) today charged with the daunting task of reviving party fortunes after the devastation caused by May's Westminster general election. Gerry Moriarty, Northern Editor, reports.
Since 1921 the UUP had been the dominant unionist force in Northern Ireland, but the 2003 Assembly elections and this year's British general election saw the UUP usurped by the DUP as the main unionist party.
In today's first post-Trimble party conference Sir Reg will attempt to restore confidence to party delegates, and convince them that the party remains relevant and capable of clawing back some of the territory lost to the DUP.
With just one seat in the House of Commons - that of Lady (Sylvia) Hermon - compared to the DUP's nine, Sir Reg must inject some vigour and enthusiasm into the party to persuade members to compete with Ian Paisley and his colleagues.
In his speech Sir Reg is likely to speak about the IRA's July announcement ending its armed campaign, IRA decommissioning, loyalist paramilitarism, safeguarding the North's union with Britain, and planning a strategy for the long process aimed at restoring devolution.
Before the conference properly opens this morning an extraordinary meeting of the party's ruling Ulster Unionist Council will be held to elect a team of party officers to replace the board that resigned after May's election results.
With the defection of Lagan Valley MP Jeffrey Donaldson and other anti-Belfast Agreement Ulster Unionists to the DUP, the UUP, while weakened, is at least more united.
However, there will be one old-style pro- and anti-agreement battle at the council meeting this morning. Former MP Rev Martin Smyth from the No camp of the party is competing with Yes party member Lord Rogan for the presidency of the council.
The liveliest debates today are likely to be on the constitutional position of the North and on the British government's plan to disband the home battalions of the Royal Irish Regiment (RIR).
Former South Antrim MP David Burnside is expected to make a passionate speech in favour of the retention of the battalions, while Iraq war veteran and former RIR commander Lieut Col Tim Collins is due to argue that, in the context of the IRA announcement, the home battalions have honourably served their purpose.
The DUP last night took up this subject to engage in some pre-conference sniping against the UUP. Peter Weir, the DUP Assembly member for North Down, said unionists should carefully watch how Ulster Unionists addressed the debate on the RIR.
"Having been reduced to a solitary MP and lost nearly a third of their council seats because of their pro-appeasement of Sinn Féin/IRA policies, it will be very interesting to see if the Ulster Unionists continue in a similar direction by accepting the arguments presented by the lieutenant colonel made in favour of scrapping the home battalions of the RIR."