Editing Ulster Unionist Party (section)

===1905 to 1921 ===
In September 1904, the Conservative government of [[Arthur Balfour]] published proposals for limited devolution to Ireland which would not amount to home rule. Coming from Conservatives, these led to great alarm among Irish unionists; in March 1905, the Ulster Unionist Council, which later became the Ulster Unionist Party, was formed as a co-ordinating organization for a new form of local political activity.<ref>Graham Walker, ''A History of the Ulster Unionist Party: Protest, Pragmatism and Pessimism'' (Manchester Studies in Modern History, 2004), [https://books.google.com/books?id=eyMeZ_oyEhYC&pg=PA17 p. 17]</ref> It largely subsumed the Ulster Defence Union.

From the beginning, the new organization had a strong association with the [[Orange Order]], a [[Protestantism|Protestant]] [[fraternal organisation]]. The original composition of the Ulster Unionist Council was 25% Orange delegates;<ref>John Harbinson (1973) ''The Ulster Unionist Party, 1882–1973''. Belfast: Blackstaff Press {{ISBN|0-85640-007-6}}</ref> however, this proportion was reduced through the years. The initial leadership of the Ulster unionists all came from outside what would later become Northern Ireland. In particular, from 1905 [[Edward James Saunderson|Colonel Saunderson]] was simultaneously leader of the Irish Unionist Alliance MPs and leader of the Ulster Unionist Council in Belfast. In 1906 he was succeeded in both roles by [[Walter Long, 1st Viscount Long|Walter Hume Long]], a Dublin MP. Another Dubliner, [[Edward Carson|Sir Edward Carson]], one of the two Irish Unionist Alliance MPs for the [[Dublin University (constituency)|Dublin University constituency]], and [[St John Brodrick, 1st Earl of Midleton|Lord Midleton]] were also southern unionists active in both. Carson went on to become the first leader of the Ulster Unionist Party, from 1910. Throughout his years of leadership, he fought a sustained campaign against Irish Home Rule, including taking the lead in the formation of the [[Ulster Volunteers]] at the onset of the [[Home Rule Crisis]] in 1912.

In 1912, at Westminster the Home Rule Crisis led to the Liberal Unionist Party merging with the Conservatives, thus giving rise to the current name of the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative and Unionist Party]], to which the Ulster Unionist Party was formally linked, to varying degrees, until 1985.

At the [[1918 Irish general election|1918 general election]], Carson switched constituencies from Dublin University to [[Belfast Duncairn (UK Parliament constituency)|Belfast Duncairn]].

After the [[Irish Convention]] of 1917–1918 failed to reach an understanding on home rule, and even more after the [[Partition of Ireland]] under the [[Government of Ireland Act 1920]], Irish unionism in effect split. Many southern unionist politicians quickly became reconciled with the new [[Irish Free State]], sitting in its [[Seanad Éireann (Irish Free State)|Senate]] or joining its political parties, while in Northern Ireland  the existence of a separate Ulster Unionist Party became entrenched as it took control of the new [[Government of Northern Ireland (1921–1972)|Government of Northern Ireland]], established in 1921.

Carson strongly opposed the partition of Ireland and the end of unionism as an all-Ireland political force, so he refused the opportunity to be [[Prime Minister of Northern Ireland]] or even to sit in the [[House of Commons of Northern Ireland|Northern Ireland House of Commons]], citing a lack of connection with the new province. The leadership of the UUP and, subsequently, Northern Ireland, was taken by [[James Craig, 1st Viscount Craigavon|Sir James Craig]].

[[File:The Road To War Q81759.jpg|thumb|right|Carson inspecting the [[Ulster Volunteers|UVF]], [[F. E. Smith, 1st Earl of Birkenhead|F. E. Smith]] walking behind him, pre-1914]]