The Conservative Party and Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) last night confirmed their plans to fight elections in Northern Ireland on a joint ticket and under a new name.
After painstaking behind-the-scenes negotiations the ballot papers will carry the title "Ulster Conservatives and Unionists - New Force".
Delegates from the two parties tonight voted to back the new way forward after they were shown a blueprint for the future prepared by a joint-committee made up of senior figures from both organisations.
Leader of the Ulster Unionist Party Sir Reg Empey said: “I am delighted that my party has agreed to work more closely with the Conservative Party.
“This is something entirely new in Northern Ireland, something which would allow us to become more fully and demonstrably an equal partner within the UK family.
“The UUP believes that the Union is a two-way process and we believe that a pan UK Unionist Vehicle is the best way of promoting the values of the union.”
It had been claimed sections of the UUP were reluctant to drop the word "Ulster" from the new title despite Tory hopes of doing so, while the parties have also stressed their new force does not represent a merger of the two organisations.
Sir Reg said: “We don’t believe in a little-Ulster mentality. We don’t believe in condemning the people of Northern Ireland to sectarian headcounts and a self-serving carve up of office between the DUP and SF."
PA