Responding to David Cameron becoming Prime Minister, Leader of the Ulster Unionist Party Sir Reg Empey has given his support to the new government.
Sir Reg said, "I offer my warm congratulations to Prime Minister David Cameron. The political uncertainty of the last few days, the prospects of nationalist parties entering the government of the United Kingdom and the possibility of Labour clinging onto power after being rejected by the country all undermined the prospect of stable government in the national interest.
"This evening, at the invitation of Her Majesty the Queen, David Cameron became the Prime Minister of our country. I know David will govern in the interests of all parts of the Union, including Northern Ireland. Those who value the Union will be grateful that the parties who were campaigning to exploit a hung parliament in pursuit of their narrow, nationalist agendas have been thwarted.
"The challenges facing the United Kingdom are serious. The deficit threatens the recovery and economic stability. The men and women of our armed forces are at war in Afghanistan. And public confidence in our broken political system must be restored.
"I offer my full support to Prime Minister Cameron as he confronts these challenges and, I trust, leads our country into more prosperous times".