Published Monday, 23 August 2010
The Lagan Valley MLA said the party is in need of a change in policy and leadership.
"I personally believe that more of the same will not do for us as a party," Mr McCrea told UTV.
"It's not something I've rushed into but I am convinced that the people of Northern Ireland have moved on and would like a political party that has moved on with them.
"Regrettably over the last few years our electoral performances have been disappointing.
"I look around and say: how would we communicate the message better that we're going to do things differently and that probably includes a change of leadership.
"I have over the last three or four years learnt a lot about how government works and how it doesn't in this part of the world and I think I bring something that makes things better for a lot of people."
So far, the only other candidate to declare his intention to join the race is South Tyrone MLA Tom Elliott.
Sir Reg Empey will officially stand down as leader of the Ulster Unionists next month when the new leader is elected by party members on 22 September.
Sir Reg was the architect of an electoral alliance with David Cameron's Conservatives.
His leadership was called into question when he failed to win the South Antrim seat in the May 2010 elections.
The UUP lost their only Westminster seat when Lady Sylvia Hermon stood as an independent candidate and retained the North Down constituency.
Mr McCrea said his leadership would bring "a significant difference in policies".
When asked by UTV if he would break the link with the Conservative Party, he replied: "Absolutely".
"The challenge for the Ulster Unionist Party, frankly, is to decide whether it is going to join in some form of unionist unity or closer cooperation with the DUP or whether it just can stand on its own two feet with its own policies, principles, values, selecting its own candidates, maintaining its own identity and obviously I favour the latter," Mr McCrea said.