Ulster Independence Movement

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The Ulster Independence Movement (UIM) was a Northern Ireland political group that wanted an independent Northern Ireland. It began as the Ulster Independence Committee on 17 November 1988, after the Ulster Clubs held 15 public meetings. The group was led by Hugh Ross, a Presbyterian minister from Dungannon, County Tyrone. They argued that Northern Ireland should not be ruled from London (and possibly Dublin) and should govern itself.

In 1990, Ross stood in a by-election for Upper Bann. He finished fourth of eleven with 1,534 votes (4.3%), ahead of the Alliance Party candidate, showing potential for an Ulster nationalist party.

In 1994 the group became a full political party and changed its name to the Ulster Independence Movement (UIM). Ross ran in the 1994 European Parliament election, gaining 7,858 first-preference votes (about 1.4%) and keeping his deposit.

After this, pro-independence groups began to work with Ross. David Kerr and Agnes McLeister from the Ulster Party joined or supported the effort.

In 1996 the UIM fielded 40 candidates in 18 seats in the Northern Ireland Forum elections, with Ross leading the regional list. The campaign raised the party’s profile, but votes fell as parties linked to loyalist groups gained support. The UIM won no seats, with a total of 2,125 votes across Northern Ireland (0.5%).

Following the Belfast Agreement, the UIM supported the No campaign against it. It ran two candidates in the 1998 Northern Ireland Assembly election but did not win any seats.

In January 2000 the UIM stopped acting as a political party and became a “ginger group.” This followed a Channel 4 programme, The Committee, that alleged links between the UIM and loyalist killings, which damaged its credibility and led some members to leave. The movement faded, though some former members joined the Ulster Third Way.