Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

File image of UUP MLA Mike Nesbitt Alamy Stock Photo

Mike Nesbitt to become Ulster Unionist Party leader for a second time

Nominations for next party leader closed at 4.40pm this afternoon and Nesbitt was the only declared candidate.

MIKE NESBITT WILL be the new leader of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) after he was the only declared candidate when nominations closed this afternoon at 4.40pm.

Nesbitt, 67, is currently Northern Ireland’s health minister and will be formally ratified as leader at an extraordinary general meeting of the party on 14 September.

Doug Beattie quit as UUP leader last week after citing “irreconcilable differences” between him and party officers.

The internal row centred over the process to select the Stormont Assembly replacement for the party’s new MP Robin Swann and ultimately led to Beattie’s resignation.

river - 2024-08-30T170524.277 File image of former UUP leader Doug Beattie Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Nesbitt was formerly a broadcaster at the BBC and UTV and first ran for office unsuccessfully in UK general election of 2010.

He was elected as am MLA for Strangford in 2011 and became UUP leader a year later.

He stepped down as party leader in 2017 following a difficult Northern Ireland Assembly election result.

Nesbitt is the North’s health minister and speaking to reporters shortly after nominations closed, he noted that he has added another “challenging role” to his portfolio.

Nesbitt also paid tribute to Beattie and said he was “the first on the list of the people I wanted to attract into the party” when he first became party leader in 2012.

Meanwhile, Nesbitt said Beattie’s departure “gave rise to the narrative that this is a badly split party” and that the party “fed the narrative by washing out dirty linen in public”.

“I am suggesting we all take a beat and relax a little bit over the weekend and then we will pick things up at the beginning of next week as the Stormont Assembly begins to return,” said Nesbitt.

He received the required 35 signatures from nine constituencies across Northern Ireland.

When asked if Beattie was among these signatures, Nesbitt said he was “not going to discuss Doug”.

“There is a long-standing tradition in our party that an outgoing leader does not try and influence the decision of the party as to who should be the successor,” said Nesbitt.

Asked how he will balance his role as health minister with his role as UUP leader, Nesbitt said there is “very little that you can or should delegate to others” as health minister but there are “many, many, many things that a party leader can delegate to others and that’s the way it will be”.

“I will be looking to senior colleagues to form a leadership team, and we will divide up all the responsibilities and all the actions accordingly,” said Nesbitt.

He added that he is still “very energised about being health minister”.

Nesbitt further remarked that he wants the UUP to be a unionist party that is a “bit more relaxed, confident, that is outreaching and embracing and more inclusive”.

“I would like a party which isn’t just saying, ‘vote for us because of identity’, let’s also talk about policy and what we want to do for people,” added Nesbitt.

“If you’re a unionist and you want to secure the union, that’s the way to do it. If you’re delivering that for people, who is going to say ‘I would rather vote for change and the uncertainty associated with that’.

“They’re going to say, ‘tell you what, give me more of the same’.”

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
13 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute SMcB
    Favourite SMcB
    Report
    Jul 15th 2011, 1:11 AM

    Someone who arrives at an A&E with an alcohol related illness might think twice about clogging up valuable resources if they were sent a nice hefty bill for the pleasure. It’s the only way to knock some sense into some people.

    15
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Erin O'Brien
    Favourite Erin O'Brien
    Report
    Jul 14th 2011, 10:40 PM

    Point taken

    13
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Gunnar Dangle
    Favourite Gunnar Dangle
    Report
    Jul 14th 2011, 8:38 PM

    I’ll drink to that!

    13
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Erin O'Brien
    Favourite Erin O'Brien
    Report
    Jul 14th 2011, 10:31 PM

    Why are you assuming that a person in hospital because of alcohol related issues must be on the dole ??? Very small minded

    12
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute hammersteind
    Favourite hammersteind
    Report
    Jul 14th 2011, 10:39 PM

    read my comment again Erin….I said that you pay (if you are working) ,and if you are not working then your dole gets reduced by some ammount. How is that small minded? Its a fair approach to ensure everyone pays something and thereby learns to take responsibility for the consequences of their drunken bed blocking!!

    25
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Risteard MacAindreas
    Favourite Risteard MacAindreas
    Report
    Jul 14th 2011, 7:46 PM

    interesting statistics, I’d quite like to see the numbers associated to the percentages, you have to keep in mind that men don’t have bed days associated with child birth which might push the women’s numbers down artificially.

    11
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute David Higgins
    Favourite David Higgins
    Report
    Jul 14th 2011, 11:53 PM

    and the cost of Cannabis-related illness was……

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Howard Cooley
    Favourite Howard Cooley
    Report
    Jul 15th 2011, 8:24 AM

    A New York type “Trunk Tank” might be a better deterrent.

    3
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

Leave a commentcancel

 
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds