Editorial: Doug Beattie wanted an attractive and intelligent form of unionism in Northern Ireland

The Ulster Unionist Party will soon have had seven leaders in 14 years.​

Reg Empey, who stood down in autumn 2010, Tom Elliott, Mike Nesbitt, Robin Swann, Steve Aiken, Doug Beattie – and then whoever will replace Mr Beattie.

He has quit in frustration at the UUP’s ruling 14 party officers for thwarting his “positive, optimistic, pro-union vision”. Mr Beattie’s insistence in the statement that only an “inclusive” party can secure its own future will be music to the ears of nationalists who love to depict nationalism as inclusive and unionism as not.

There is a important debate to be had about whether Mr Beattie is right that liberal unionism is the path forward or whether it will just hasten the ‘process’ that republicans think politics in Northern Ireland to be. Indeed, the recent relative electoral success of the Ulster Unionist Party and the decline in the Alliance vote in once UUP strongholds of East Antrim, North Down and East Belfast suggests the opposite is true – that a small but noticeable number of Alliance voters are uneasy with its flirtation with ‘New Ireland’ discussions and woke politics. But that debate is for the coming months. Now is a time to record that Northern Ireland is fortunate that Doug Beattie entered politics, bringing the wisdom of a successful previous military career. At time’s Mr Beattie’s newness to politics was apparent, but his commitment to an attractive and intelligent form of unionism was clear.

Many unionist voters want unionist unity, and most agree that unionism is not big enough for a three-party split. But a single party would almost certainly see some moderates return to Alliance – something unionism cannot afford.

The Ulster Unionist vote has remained solid, averaging 12% of the overall vote for that aforementioned 14 years period of leadership turmoil. The party faces big challenges, but is far from finished.