Published Wednesday, 25 August 2010
Launching his leadership bid in Antrim, the Fermanagh and South Tyrone Assembly MLA instead called for better unionist cooperation, if respect is shown for the UUP.
"There will certainly not be any single unionist party under my leadership", Mr Elliott told UTV.
"All that would do is polarise the nationalist/republican vote and put unionist voters off. What I want to see is better cooperation if that's possible".
He warned such cooperation would need to start at the "highest level".
"While I differ from some people in traditions and I differ from some people in policies, what I can always do is respect those people's views and I want them to respect mine," Mr Elliott told UTV.
DUP Lagan Valley MP Jeffrey Donaldson said he was disappointed Mr Elliott could not launch his leadership campaign without attacking the DUP.
"It's disappointing that as part of Tom's opening salvo in his UUP leadership bid he chooses to attack the DUP", Mr Donaldson said.
"Grass-roots unionists are sick of inter-unionist squabbling. They want to see a joined-up approach. The community can see the damage that division does to the pro-Union cause - whilst we expend our energy attacking each other, the opponents of the Union advance."
Sinn Fein
Calls for unionist unity have intensified ahead of next year's Assembly election which could see Martin McGuinness become First Minister if Sinn Fein tops the Stormont poll.
"I've already opened a line of communication with Her Majesty's Government to try and ensure that that is not allowed to happen", Mr Elliot told UTV.
"The settled will of the people in the 1998 referendum was that the First Minister will always come from the largest designation."
"I don't see any appetite from the people out there, in particular the unionist people, to have a Sinn Fein First Minister and this isn't some sectarian headcount".
"This is what democracy is about".
On Monday Lagan Valley MLA Basil McCrea confirmed he intended to enter the race.
He told UTV that, if elected leader, he would not be pulling the assembly down over the issue of a Sinn Fein First Minister.
"I can't say that I particularly welcome the prospect but what is the alternative? Every time we go to the table and leave it, we come back a few years later with a deal that's not as good.
"This assembly, with all its limitation, with all its fault, is something that has been endorsed by all the people of Northern Ireland," he said.
Sir Reg Empey is standing down as leader following a disappointing Westminster election during which the party failed to win a single seat and he failed to take South Antrim.
The UUP had linked up with the Conservatives under the UCUNF banner but Mr Elliott said the electoral arrangement would not be repeated.
"The general electorate did not accept it. They didn't see it as a good idea", Mr Elliott said.
"What I want to do is see a link with the Conservatives that starts from the bottom up".
Mr Elliott is supported in his leadership bid by MEP Jim Nicholson, health minister Michael McGimpsey and party deputy leader Danny Kennedy.
Party members will meet on 22 September to select their new leader.