Former journalist to be leader of Ulster Unionist Party for second time

Mike Nesbitt will become the new leader of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) after he was the only candidate to put their name forward.

Nominations for the position closed on Friday to replace Doug Beattie who quit the top job last week after a dispute with party officers.

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

The 67-year-old is currently health minister at Stormont and he will be formally ratified as leader at a party meeting on 15 September.

He is the MLA for Strangford and a former broadcast journalist.

He will also become the first person to lead the UUP twice, previously holding the position between 2012 and 2017 when he quit following a difficult Northern Ireland Assembly election result.

Mr Nesbitt said he wants to "continue on the progressive outreach that Doug (Beattie) started".

"I would like to offer people a unionist party that is a bit more relaxed, that is a bit more confident, that is outreaching and embracing and being a bit more inclusive."

"I would like a party which isn't just saying to people, vote for us because of identity. Let's also talk about policy, what we want to do for people."

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Mr Beattie described "irreconcilable differences" with party officers when he announced his departure on 19 August.

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.

But he left after an internal row over the process to select the Stormont Assembly replacement for the party's new MP Robin Swann.

Mr Nesbitt said he feels "very confident" that he has got the support of "the vast majority if not all" of the UUP's elected representatives, but he declined to say whether outgoing leader Doug Beattie has backed him.

He said "there's 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".

The largest unionist party, the DUP, has also seen a leadership change this year.

Gavin Robinson replaced Jeffrey Donaldson who quit when he was charged with rape and other historical abuse offences - charges he denies.