February 2026 Unionist Party Conference

The February 2026 Unionist Party Conference was the ninth Unionist Party political conference, convened for the middle of February at the Europa Hotel in Belfast. It was the first time the Conference had been held in Ireland, and was reported to be an inside joke: the Europa Hotel was the most bombed hotel of all during the Troubles. Luckily, no physical bombs exploded during the conference.

Convened to set out party policy, it was established later than expected, closer to the upcoming - and also overdue - general election that had been paused due to the Frontierdom Transition. Incumbent Prime Minister and party leader, August Carew Somerset, The Marquess of Thomond was intending to step aside, and his position within the party even before the conference was wrought with speculation. Unfounded reports of a coup were circulated in the press, but it was considered that Thomond's authority in the party, while slipping, was not in overall doubt. However, he confirmed that he would be departing the party at the end of the parliamentary term, and so a successor was chosen.

It was notable for being the first conference without the Co-Founder, Prince Thomas, Duke of Devonshire, being present: the former Leader of the Party had retired from politics in January 2026. His wife, and fellow co-founder, Josephine Somerset Carew, The Duchess of Bedford had returned to politics, and the Cabinet Secretary Philip Somerset had joined the party as well: the press reported the great irony in this, especially that the Duke of Devonshire had always considered Philip Somerset an exceptional politician and had tried on multiple occasions, when Somerset was an independent, to get him to join the party.