The United Ulster Unionist Council (also known as the United Ulster Unionist Coalition) was a body that sought to bring together the Unionists opposed to the Sunningdale Agreement in Northern Ireland. In the context of Irish politics, Unionists are people in Northern Ireland, who wish to see the continuation of the Act of Union 1800, as amended by the Government of Ireland Act 1920, under which Northern Ireland, created in that latter Act, remains part of the United Kingdom of Great... The Sunningdale Agreement on December 9, 1973, was an attempt to end the Northern Ireland troubles by forcing unionists to share power with nationalists. ... Royal motto: Quis separabit (Latin: Who will separate?) Northern Irelands location within the UK Official languages English, Irish, Ulster Scots Capital and largest city Belfast First Minister Office suspended Area  - Total Ranked 4th 13,843 km² Population  - Total (2001)  - Density Ranked 4th 1,685,267 122/km² NUTS 1...

Established in January 1974, the UUUC was organised by Harry West and constituted a formal electoral pact between his Ulster Unionist Party, the Democratic Unionist Party and the Vanguard Unionist Progressive Party. West arranged the movement, having gained control of the UUP from Brian Faulkner, to galvanise opposition to power sharing arrangements that were being put in place and to run against Faulkner's Pro-Assembly Unionists who later formed themselves into the Unionist Party of Northern Ireland. 1974 (MCMLXXIV) is a common year starting on Tuesday (click on link for calendar). ... Harry West Leader of the Ulster Unionist Party from 1974 to 1979. ... The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP, sometimes referred to as the Official Unionist Party or OUP) is a unionist political party in Northern Ireland, and was the party of government in Northern Ireland between 1921 and 1972. ... The Democratic Unionist Party is a hardline unionist party in Northern Ireland led by Ian Paisley. ... The Vanguard Progressive Unionist Party, also known as the Vanguard Ulster Progressive Party (and several variations of word order), was a unionist political party which existed in Northern Ireland between 1973 and 1978. ... The Right Honourable Arthur Brian Deane Faulkner, Baron Faulkner of Downpatrick (February 18, 1922 - March 3, 1977) was the sixth and last Prime Minister of Northern Ireland from 1971 until 1972. ... The Unionist Party of Northern Ireland was a political party founded by Brian Faulkner in September 1974. ...

The UUUC first tested its political credentials in the 1974 general election and the party captured 11 out of 12 Northern Irish seats (7 UUP, 3 VUPP, 1 DUP), whilst the Pro-Assembly Unionists failed to win any seats, largely because the pro-Sunningdale parties continued to run candidates against each other. (Although in the general election of October that same year the UUUC lost West's seat, Fermanagh and South Tyrone, to Frank Maguire, an independent Republican running as an agreed candidate, leaving them with 10 overall). At Westminster the coalition operated under the name of Unionist Parliamentary Coalition with West accepted as leader. The UK general election of February 1974 was held on February 28, 1974. ... The UK general election of October 1974 took place on October 10, 1974. ... Fermanagh & South Tyrone is a Parliamentary Constituency in the British House of Commons and also an Assembly constituency in the Northern Ireland Assembly. ... Irish Republicanism is the nationalist belief that all of Ireland should be a united independent republic. ... The Houses of Parliament, seen over Westminster Bridge The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative institution in the United Kingdom and British overseas territories (it alone has parliamentary sovereignty). ...

The UUUC remained fairly coherent as it united behind the Ulster Workers Council Strike in mid 1974 and continued for 1975 elections to a Constitutional Convention in which the group won 46 out of the 78 seats. Fifteen unprecedented, historic days in 1974 when a million British citizens, the Protestants of Northern Ireland, staged what amounted to a rebellion against the Crown and won. ... 1974 (MCMLXXIV) is a common year starting on Tuesday (click on link for calendar). ... 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1975 calendar). ... A constitutional convention is a gathering of delegates for the purpose of writing a new constitution or revising an existing constitution. ...

The UUUC began to fall apart in 1976 when VUPP leader William Craig suggested working in a potential coalition government with the nationalist Social Democratic and Labour Party. When it became clear that Craig's ideas were not in keeping with those of his partners, the Vanguard left the UUUC and it was reduced to two member parties. 1976 (MCMLXXVI) is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... The Right Honourable William Craig (b. ... The Irish Nationalist movement began in the 18th century when Theobald Wolfe Tone attempted two uprisings in the 1790s. ... The Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP — Irish: Páirtí Sóisialta Daonlathach an Lucht Oibre) is the smaller of the two major nationalist parties in Northern Ireland. ...

The UUUC set up the United Unionist Action Council in 1977 a policy group and an activism co-ordinating committee. The UUAC became involved with the May 1977 strike by the Ulster Workers Council, that sought to repeat the effects of 1974. However the second strike proved much less effective and it also brought out the divisions within the UUUC. By the end of the year the formal alliance had come to an end and the UUP and DUP split to follow their own separate paths. For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ...

External link

• UUUC Manifesto for 1975