Doug Beattie battling to save Stormont seat as local party set to oust him as Ulster Unionist candidate
Former UUP leader Doug Beattie is facing deselection by his local constituency association, and could run as an independent in the next Assembly election if he is rejected by his party.
Local members look set to pick councillor Kyle Savage to be the party’s candidate at a key meeting next month, with one candidate likely to be put forward for the 2027 poll.
Mr Beattie has said that if he is not selected he will then have a decision to make about where he goes next – and has not ruled out joining another party.
The UUP veteran has pointed to his track record in the Upper Bann constituency, and made an appeal to party members for their backing.
A party spokesperson said all candidate selection activity within the Ulster Unionist Party is governed by its rules and standing orders.
Doug Beattie has had a difficult relationship with his local association for some time – as well as with some party officers. His relationship with the latter resulted in the end of his leadership of the party.
There has also been a wider tension between the party’s longer serving MLAs at Stormont and party members – with a view among some in the grassroots that they are too liberal or indecisive on key policy issues.
Those same members backed Jon Burrows’s in his uncontested romp to victory when Mike Nesbitt vacated the leadership in January.
The only potential challenger was Lagan Valley MLA Robbie Butler, who decided against putting his name forward.
Since then, there has been some tension within the MLA group, with some of the Stormont old guard uncomfortable with the direct and combative approach of the new leader.
The BBC reported on Tuesday that there was “anger” about a recent video posted on the party's X site, which featured Mr Burrows standing in front of Stormont's Parliament Buildings. In the clip he said “People deserve better. For too long the people in here have delivered for themselves and not for the people of Northern Ireland.”
One source told the broadcaster: “He could have at least said some parties differentiating between his own party and some of the others.”
The BBC reported that the leader was asked to delete the video but refused.
A UUP spokesperson said: “All candidate selection activity within the Ulster Unionist Party is governed by its rules and standing orders.
“The Party appreciates that its internal procedures may, on occasion, attract outside interest. However, it would not be appropriate for the Party to offer comment on the details of matters of this nature. Such matters are properly dealt with through the Party's own structures and are, ultimately, an internal matter.
“The Ulster Unionist Party conducts its internal affairs in accordance with its rules and standing orders, and has nothing further to add.”
In August 2024, Doug Beattie stood down as Ulster Unionist Party leader saying the job had at times “been both lonely and isolating” and warning about the future direction of the party.
It is understood he had originally offered his resignation the previous month during a dispute with party officers.
He said “irreconcilable differences between myself and Party Officers combined with the inability to influence and shape the party going forward means that I can no longer remain the Party Leader”.
While thanking party colleagues for their loyalty – he acknowledged that some “did not agree with the direction and path I set for the party and the vision I promoted”.
The dispute with party officers came to a head over the outcome of a North Antrim selection panel to replace Robin Swann, who had been elected to Westminster. Colin Crawford was selected through the party’s processes, but Mr Beattie preferred another candidate.
Mr Crawford tenure as an MLA was short, and he was subsequently replaced by Jon Burrows, who is understood to have been brought into the party by Mr Beattie.
Since then, relations between the pair have cooled. Mr Beattie favoured Robbie Butler to take on the leadership when Mike Nesbitt stepped down at the start of this year. However, the Lagan Valley MLA did not put his name forward after it became clear that Mr Burrows had the overwhelming backing of the party’s grassroots members.