Jon Burrows insistence that all his MLAs paid into the party fuelled tensions among UUP's Stormont team

On Monday Doug Beattie, who quit the party at the weekend, said rumours he hadn’t paid in to the party himself are “absolutely not true” – and confirmed that he had paid his fees.

But the former UUP leader said there was a deliberate attempt to undermine elected representatives based on “part information”.

He said he had been contacted by a journalist about the claims – and that other MLAs “had their names leaked at the same time”.

Party insiders say there was internal pushback from some in the Stormont team over an attempt by Jon Burrows to make all MLAs pay into the party – and in some cases pay arrears.

North Down MLA Alan Chambers has told the News Letter that he doesn’t believe MLAs or councillors are required to pay anything beyond the basic membership fee.

That is, he said, unless they hold jobs like a ministry or committee chair role, in which case he says there is a requirement to pay 10% of additional earnings.

Successive leaders have expected elected representatives to pay part of their income to the party, however it is understood that for a number of years this was not enforced – and some paid consistently, while others did not.

It was a source of tension prior to Jon Burrows being elected leader earlier this year, and it is understood progress had been made under Mike Nesbitt to ensure a consistency in approach.

However, the issue had not been entirely resolved when Mr Burrows was elected leader earlier this year and it is understood he has demanded that all of the MLA team pay up, as well as any arrears.

The Ulster Unionist Party was approached for comment, as were each of the party’s elected representatives on Stormont’s blue benches.

The News Letter has contacted all of the MLAs individually to ask whether they had paid all dues on time over the past year, and whether they had any arrears.

At the time of going to print, Mike Nesbitt, Steve Aiken and Alan Chambers confirmed that they had paid, and did not have any arrears. Jon Burrows said: “I take my obligations as a member of the party seriously. However, it is in my view not appropriate to comment on internal party financial matters”. The other four MLAs had not responded.

In his resignation letter to party leader Jon Burrows at the weekend, Doug Beattie highlighted “an insidious campaign of rumour and gossip” which he said “was being waged against me regarding selections, party relationships, financial matters, and employment issues”.

Speaking in an interview with the BBC Nolan Show on Monday morning, he elaborated on what he meant by financial matters.

“Stuff has been released to the media about finances, and stuff has been released to the media about employment issues in regards to me. All of these have been done to damage me, and it came to a head on Thursday night”, Mr Beattie said.

Asked what the rumours were, the former UUP MLA said: “That I was not paying into the party when clearly I was.

“But then there’s rumours that I wasn’t, to the stage that the Irish News rang me, and asked me the question. Interestingly, other members also had their names leaked at the same time.

“This is deliberate. This is deliberate undermining of elected representatives, and it’s coming from within”.

Asked how he knew this, Doug Beattie said: “How would it not? How would anybody else know about the financial dealings of the Ulster Unionist Party?”

Mr Nolan said: “But you’re saying it’s not true?”

“No it’s absolutely not true.

“The thing you have with people is they get part information – and they think they have all information.

“And then they say things which are simply untrue – and I’ll stand over that if anybody needs me to stand over that”, the independent unionist MLA said.

In its most recent accounts published on the Electoral Commission’s website for 2024, the UUP raised £108,265 from its membership and took in £20,854 from donations.