Editorial: The incoming leader of the Ulster Unionist Party has already shown his political potential

​Both locally at Stormont and at Westminster there were two major political developments yesterday.

At home, Jon Burrows became in effect next leader of the Ulster Unionist Party. His MLA colleague Robbie Butler did not stand for the top job by the 5pm deadline.

In London, Robert Jenrick MP joined Nigel Farage’s Reform UK. Mr Jenrick had been Tory leader-in-waiting when Kemi Badenoch’s leadership of the Conservative Party appeared to be on the brink last year. She has since consolidated her position.

In the UUP, the party now has an impressive new leader who is a new entrant into NI politics. Mr Burrows held important roles within the PSNI, and since his policing career had established himself as a shrewd commentator on events. In particular, he has delved into policing and justice matters where he excelled in challenging scandals such as the saga around the former Police Ombudsman, and the lack of transparency around the incident at her home.

Mr Burrows’ numerous essays on these pages in recent years showed his political calibre. Unionism, the UUP in particular, is in need of new talent, and he has helped to provide that. Much is being made of the fact that he has not been elected but all the NI parties struggle to get good leaders.

Robbie Butler is a popular figure on the liberal wing of unionism, and that wing is an important part of the unionist coalition. It is to be hoped that he and Mr Burrows can work well together, and the generous statement from the latter makes that more likely.

Mr Jenrick, meanwhile, is being accused of opportunism in his defection to Reform UK, yet he did resign from the Tory cabinet in 2023 over the disastrous weakness over immigration. Both Northern Ireland, and the UK as a whole, need strong leaders at this time of big political and cultural challenges for NI and the nation.