Fermanagh and South Tyrone - Ulster Unionist Party

08/09/2026

08/09/2026

Ulster Unionist Councillor for Cookstown Trevor Wilson has expressed disappointment after a motion expressing loss of confidence in DAERA over the Fivemiletown operation fell by 19 votes to 18 at a special meeting of Mid Ulster District Council.

Councillor Wilson said:

“This motion fell by one vote. One. The people of the Clogher Valley watched an operation unfold in their fields in broad daylight, and last night this council came within a single vote of saying so plainly.

“In July, Councillor McConnell stood in this chamber and described what happened as being like a scene from the Wild West. He spoke of cars blocking roads, of people standing on ditches watching, of animals breaking loose and being pursued into a forest. He was right, and I said so at the time. I said so again last night, because credit is due to the man who first put this before the public.

“He has said a great deal about it on radio and on television. Last night, in the chamber, on the one occasion when what he said would have counted for something, he did not speak.

“Strong words on the airwaves cost nothing. A word in that chamber last night was worth more than every interview he has given, because one vote was all that stood between this council speaking for the Clogher Valley and this council saying nothing at all. He chose the microphone over the motion, and the people of this valley will draw their own conclusions about why, and about who decided it.

“Waiting for a review is not a position, it is a delay. Nine Freedom of Information requests about this operation have been refused. The Department does not deny holding the information. Officials would not tell the Assembly committee how many shots were fired. A calf was found injured three days later and the Department could not say whether it had shot it. None of that gets answered by sitting on our hands.

“Whatever anyone thinks of that review, I would urge everyone locally with relevant information to put it forward before four o'clock on Monday the fifteenth of September. Farmers have every right to be sceptical about the process. They have more right still to be heard within it.

“My party has already said it has no confidence in this Minister. Last night eighteen members of this council were prepared to say something similar. That is not going away, and neither am I.”

06/09/2026

06/09/2026

Ulster Unionist Deputy Leader and Agriculture Spokesperson Diana Armstrong MLA has marked the start of Rural Crime Week NI by warning that Northern Ireland is one of only a handful of regions where rural crime is rising, with losses reaching an estimated £2.2 million last year, a 24% increase, at a time when the UK-wide cost fell by 6%.

Ahead of Rural Crime Week NI, running from 7 to 11 September, Diana Armstrong MLA said:

“Rural crime cost Northern Ireland an estimated £2.2 million last year, a 24% rise, at a time when the cost across the United Kingdom as a whole fell by 6%. We are one of only a few regions going backwards. That should stop everyone in their tracks.

“Behind those figures are farm families who no longer feel safe in their own yard. The theft of a quad, a tractor or a GPS unit is not an inconvenience. It stops a business dead in the middle of a working week, and the fear it leaves behind lasts far longer than the insurance claim.

“What concerns me most is what we are not seeing. Recorded agricultural crime has been falling while losses rise, and the Ulster Farmers' Union is clear that many incidents never get reported at all. I understand the weariness behind that. When a farmer believes nothing will come of a call, they stop making it. The difficulty is that policing is resourced on the basis of recorded demand, so every unreported crime makes the case for rural policing weaker. My appeal this week is simple. Report it, every time, on 101, or anonymously through Crimestoppers.

“Government has to meet farmers halfway. That means proper resourcing for rural policing, continued cooperation with An Garda Síochána on gangs that move stolen machinery across the border within hours, and a Rural Crime Partnership that delivers more than an annual awareness campaign. Our rural communities do their part. They are entitled to expect the same in return.”

03/09/2026

Ulster Unionist Health Minister Robbie Butler MLA has today set out his approach to the future of hospital services across Northern Ireland, following the public consultation on Hospitals – Creating a Network for Better Outcomes.

With almost 30,000 written responses received, the Minister said the message from the public is clear: reform is needed, but it must be done differently.

The Minister has set out a number of key actions:

🔵 Hospital categorisation proposals will not be progressed at this stage, with a review of the proposed model and terminology to take place.

🔵 A new Independent Reconfiguration Committee will be established to provide independent expert scrutiny of major or controversial proposals for permanent changes to health and social care services.

🔵 The Committee will examine patient safety, service quality, clinical effectiveness, sustainability, evidence and consultation, with its advice published for transparency.

🔵 Existing guidance on the change or withdrawal of services will be reviewed, including requirements around evidence, transparency, early engagement and rural and equality impacts.

🔵 The Department’s Transport Strategy for Health and Social Care will also be reviewed, recognising the impact of travel distances, ambulance capacity and public transport on patients, particularly in rural communities.

The Minister has been clear that services should continue to be delivered locally wherever this can be done safely and sustainably, while recognising that some specialist services may need to be delivered on a regional or networked basis.

Following visits to South West Acute Hospital and Causeway Hospital, Minister Butler has also emphasised the importance of listening directly to clinicians, staff, patients and communities before major decisions are taken.

Minister Butler’s message is clear: reform is necessary, but it must be evidence led, properly scrutinised and focused on delivering the best outcomes for patients.

“We really need to do reform better.”

31/08/2026

The Ulster Unionist Party has selected Dr Kathryn Owen as its candidate for Belfast South and Mid Down in next year's Assembly election. A former DUP councillor, Dr Owen is a former RAF medic and healthcare professional who now works as a Senior Health Official in public health. Party Leader Jon Burrows said he was "particularly proud" that she had come home to the Ulster Unionist Party.

Ulster Unionist Party Leader Jon Burrows MLA said:

“I am delighted to welcome Dr Kathryn Owen as our Ulster Unionist Party candidate for Belfast South and Mid Down.

“Kathryn brings a remarkable record of public service. She is a former RAF medic, a healthcare professional with a PhD in cardiovascular medicine, and is currently a Senior Health Official working in public health. As a councillor she was widely respected for her commitment to her community and her ability to get things done, and during the pandemic she was a determined advocate for our local hospitals and the staff working under immense pressure.

“I am particularly proud that Kathryn has come home to the Ulster Unionist Party. Her decision reflects the momentum now building behind us, and our ability to attract talented, credible people who share our vision: a confident, forward-looking unionism that strengthens the Union by making Northern Ireland the most successful place it can be.

“She has served her country, served our health service and served her community. I have no doubt she will be an outstanding MLA and a powerful voice for the people of Belfast South and Mid Down."

Ulster Unionist Party candidate Dr Kathryn Owen said:

“I am delighted to have been selected as the Ulster Unionist Party candidate for Belfast South and Mid Down.

“This is an area I know well, with roots right across the constituency, and it is a place I am proud to call home. I want to bring my experience in health, public service and local government to the Assembly. I believe good politics starts with listening, focusing on the issues that matter to people and delivering practical results.

“I am proud to be standing for a party that represents a confident and constructive unionism, and that wants to strengthen Northern Ireland through good government and strong public services. Over the months ahead, I look forward to getting out across the constituency, listening to local people and representing their voices.”

20/08/2026

Join us for a great evening of food, good company and plenty of craic at the South Tyrone Annual BBQ!

📍 Dungannon Rugby Club
📅 Friday 4th September
⏰ 8pm (doors open at 7:30pm)
🎟️ Tickets: £20

Everyone welcome, get in touch to secure your ticket, and come along for what promises to be a brilliant night! 🇬🇧

08/08/2026

27/07/2026

𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂.

The latest LucidTalk poll, published in this morning’s Belfast Telegraph, places the Ulster Unionist Party as the leading party within Unionism for the first time since 2021.

While every poll is only a snapshot in time, it reflects the positive response we have been receiving from people right across Northern Ireland who want politics done differently.

Thank you to everyone who has supported us. We will continue to offer a positive vision for Northern Ireland - focused on fixing public services, growing our economy, strengthening accountability and unlocking our country’s enormous potential.

It is time for a new kind of politics - one built on competence, integrity and delivery.

If you believe Northern Ireland can do better, and you want to help build a stronger, more prosperous future for everyone, join the Ulster Unionist Party today.

Join us. Be part of the change.

www.uup.org/join