Row erupts among Ulster Unionist party members
Furious supporters of Ulster Unionist leader Reg Empey tonight accused elements within the party of trying to destabilise his leadership.
The accusation came amid claims that the party's chief negotiator Alan McFarland turned down a chance to become health minister in the new Northern Ireland Executive.
Empey supporters were furious about the claims, which surfaced two days before the Ulster Unionist Council's annual general meeting.
A supporter of the UUP leader said: "It appears there are some people who are on a deathwish for our party.
"The Ulster Unionist Party is still suffering from the infighting that occurred during the David Trimble-Jeffrey Donaldson era and some of our members seem to be intent on opening up new wounds.
"It's ridiculous."
Other party sources alleged Empey, having decided to claim the employment and learning ministry himself, offered Alan McFarland the health post in the new Executive.
However it is claimed the North Down MLA rebuffed the offer, urging Empey not to take a ministry for himself and concentrate instead on rebuilding the party after its disappointing Assembly election.
South Belfast MLA Michael McGimpsey, who served in the last devolved government as culture minister, was announced as Empey's nominee for health minister instead.
The UUP finished fourth in the popular vote in the Assembly election in March, behind Ian Paisley's DUP, Sinn Féin and the SDLP.
However, under the North's single transferable vote system, the party returned with two more Stormont seats than the SDLP, enabling it to claim two ministries to the nationalist party's one.
The Ulster Unionist Party would not comment tonight on the latest claims.
