Nesbitt makes plea for unity as he is set to be UUP leader for second time

Mike Nesbitt made a plea for party unity as it was confirmed he will become the leader of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) for the second time.

Mr Nesbitt, 67, delivered a message to his colleagues that “washing our dirty linen in public” is “not a very attractive look” for the electorate.

The Strangford MLA, who is currently Northern Ireland’s health minister, was confirmed as leader-elect when he was the only declared candidate when nominations for the position closed at 4.30pm on Friday.

He be formally ratified as UUP leader at an extraordinary general meeting of the party on September 14.

Doug Beattie quit as leader last week after a dispute with party officers.

Mr Nesbitt said he had secured support from across all wings of the party.

He also said he will retain his role as health minister.

A former broadcast journalist, Mr Nesbitt will become the first person to lead the unionist party twice.

He was leader between 2012 and 2017 but quit following a difficult Northern Ireland Assembly election result.

I am very confident that I have got, if not every single elected representative and party officer, I have the vast majority of them

Speaking at a press conference at Stormont , he said: “I know that what has happened in the last number of days gives rise to a narrative that this is a badly split party, I don’t believe that.

“But I do also accept that we have fed the narrative by washing our dirty linen in public.

“I gently suggest to party colleagues that is not a very attractive look for the electorate to have.

“I am suggesting we all take a beat, pause, step back and relax a little bit over the weekend and then we’ll pick things up at the beginning of next week as the Assembly prepares to return.”

Asked about the support he had received, he said: “I am very confident that I have got, if not every single elected representative and party officer, I have the vast majority of them.

“I do know I have got people who come from, if you want to say wings of the party, all wings are on that list.”

However, he declined to say whether outgoing leader Mr Beattie had backed him as leader.

He added: “I’m more than happy to come back into the role.

“I didn’t know what I was letting myself in for in 2012, I do now and I am confident that I can do a job for the Ulster Unionist Party, for the people who vote for us and more generally for the people of Northern Ireland.”

Despite taking on the leadership role, Mr Nesbitt said he was “still incredibly energised by and motivated by being the health minister and that health brief”.

“I think that we’re now very close to finalising the plan for the rest of the mandate,” he said.

“Professor Bengoa will be coming back in early October, that will be the kick start to me saying, ‘this is what I’m going to be doing for the rest of this mandate through to May 2027’.

“Meanwhile there are other things to be done with the party, but as I say, I don’t think the challenge of the party is as bad as we have allowed it to be perceived to be over the last number of weeks.”

Mr Beattie cited “irreconcilable differences” with party officers as he announced his shock departure on August 19.

The Upper Bann Assembly member and decorated Army veteran was elected UUP leader in 2021.

Mr Beattie’s resignation came after what was a relatively positive General Election result for the UUP, with the party securing a Westminster seat for the first time since 2017.

However, an internal row over the process to select the Stormont Assembly replacement for the party’s new MP Robin Swann ultimately led to Mr Beattie’s resignation.