Lady Hermon refused to attend the party conference at the Europa Hotel at the weekend saying she "could not go along and pretend to
endorse" the Ulster Conservative and Unionist: New Force.

The North Down MP has been the missing link in the new alliance
since it was first mooted in early 2008.

However, following the death of first her father and then her husband,
former RUC Chief Constable Jack Hermon, later that year, she did
not publicly comment on the project.

She finally broke her silence during the first electoral battle under
the new banner earlier this year as Jim Nicholson campaigned to be reelected to the European Parliament when it had been agreed the UUP
and Conservatives would field joint candidates in future elections under
a joint banner.

Lady Hermon has claimed the decision was made without consulting
her.

"I have been made deeply unhappy by my party's decision to align itself
with the Tories," she said.

She was photographed walking her dog in Donaghadee as the weekend
conference took place.

Ulster Unionist leader Sir Reg Empey refused to make any comment
last night about Lady Hermon's boycott of the gathering but it is understood senior officials were disappointed by her non-attendance.