UUP: Ulster Unionist Party leader nominations to close

Nominations to become the next leader of the Ulster Unionist Party will close later on Friday.

The only candidate who has so far declared an interest is former leader Mike Nesbitt.

The UUP found itself without a leader last week after Doug Beattie stepped down, citing “irreconcilable differences” with party officers.

Mr Nesbitt won a contest in 2012 to become leader, but quit in 2017 after disappointing assembly election results.

If Mr Nesbitt is selected to become the leader, he will be the first person to have twice held the top job in the UUP.

He is currently the assembly member (MLA) for Strangford and in June he was appointed as Stormont’s Health Minister, a role he is expected to retain if he is ratified as leader.

It is understood he will be the only MLA to put his name forward for nomination, meaning the party’s deputy leader Robbie Butler and East Antrim MLA John Stewart – who had both been mentioned as possible candidates – will not run for the leadership.

In a statement on Tuesday, Mr Butler said that a “revised and refreshed leadership team of the UUP, led by Mike Nesbitt, is an exciting opportunity”.

Rules for the nomination process set by officers said any person wishing to run for election needs at least 35 signatures from members across nine of the party’s constituency associations.

Nominations will close at 16:30 BST.

The new leader is set to be ratified at an extraordinary general meeting of the party on 14 September.