Yesterday (July 24th), the new United Conservative Party voted Didsbury MLA Nathan Cooper as their interim leader.

Earlier today (July 25th) Cooper executed his first order of business and established an interim leadership team for the new caucus.

MLA Mike Ellis will serve as Deputy Leader, while Richard Gotfried will fill the role of House Leader. Jason Nixon will act as Caucus Whip and Prasad Panda as the Caucus Chair.

As excited as Cooper and his fellow MLAs are regarding the new party and it's direction, there are some that are concerned with the unity process.

Liberal Leader David Khan said the party is nothing new and worry about damaging policies once started by the former PC Government. There are also questions about if the general public is actually in favour of the new party as only Wildrose and PC members voted.

Cooper reaffirmed that the unification process was open to everyone.

"The whole public, all of the public was invited to be a part of the process. Some chose to engage in that process and others didn't. There was a very clear mandate for a single, principled, compassionate conservative party and that's exactly what we'll deliver."

Cooper also addressed criticism stemming from an interview he did nearly ten years ago with statements that were deemed offensive to the LGBT community. Cooper says he doesn't hold those views anymore and that his new party is for all Albertans.

"I believe in an open and inclusive party for all Albertans regardless of their race, their creed, their orientation. I think we have a great opportunity to define the conservative movement."

Cooper will hold the interim position of leader until the party elects its permanent director on October 28th.

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