Ulster Unionist Party leadership election, March 1995

The March 1995 Ulster Unionist Party leadership election occurred at the Annual Ganeral Meeting of the Ulster Unionist Council on March 18, 1995. The UUP has had a leadership election every March since at least 1973, and this is one of the few occasions when it has been contested.

Candidates

*James H Molyneaux MP, incumbent leader since 1979
*Lee Reynolds, a 21 year old student from Coleraine.

It was widely speculated that Ulster Unionist MP David Trimble was one of those behind Reynolds's candidature, although Trimble, his aides and Reynolds' supporters all denied this at the time and subsequently.ref|goodson1

Results

*Molyneaux - 521
*Reynolds - 88
*spoilt ballots - 10

Whilst Molyneaux won by a massive margin, the 15% of delegates who did not vote for him was seen as a substantial number. Two days later independent North Down MP, Sir James Kilfedder died in London and that the subsequent by-election was not won by the UUP was seen as further evidence of Molyneaux's failings as leader after 15 years. Molyneaux resigned on August 28th and was replaced in September.

References

#Goodson, Dean "Himself Alone: David Trimble and the ordeal of Unionism" (London, Harper Perennial, 2004), page 127