Robbie Butler rules himself out of the running to be new leader of the Ulster Unionist Party

It followed almost a fortnight of speculation about whether the outgoing party deputy and MLA for Lagan Valley would put his name forward to succeed Mike Nesbitt, with North Antrim MLA Mr Burrows having declared on January 8.

Mr Butler revealed the news in a statement at 12.30pm today (the deadline was 5pm).

Mr Butler’s statement did not make any reference to Mr Burrows.

In it, Mr Butler also spoke of seeking to “better understand the direction and focus of any new leadership team” in the days ahead.

The statement, in full, read as follows: “I have always believed that Northern Ireland needs a confident, positive, modern Unionism with a strong social conscience.

"That belief has guided me throughout my public life and it will continue to shape everything I do.

"This style and direction, embodied by the late Lord David Trimble and continued by Mike Nesbitt, drew me to the Ulster Unionist Party.

"I am similarly resolute that Unionism must be willing to look beyond its traditional base and focus on making Northern Ireland work, not just for today, but for our children and the generations that follow.

“When Mike informed us of his decision not to continue as party leader, I took time to engage with colleagues across the party.

"It quickly became clear that there was significant support for me to stand for the leadership.

"This support existed in every elected office of the Ulster Unionist Party and across its diverse membership, for this I will remain forever grateful.

"However, through those conversations it became apparent to me and my team that the direction many within the party now wish to pursue would be under a different leadership style and new focus.

"To this end I will not be offering my name for leader of the Ulster Unionist Party.

“In my 10 years as an elected Ulster Unionist MLA, having given years of service as deputy leader and chief whip and demonstrating the absolute need to be connected and engaged to the grassroots voters in my constituency and across Northern Ireland, I know only too well of the need to be honest and clear about the values I stand for.

"I remain committed to promoting confident, modern, positive Unionism with a social conscience.

"I remain loyal to the cause of enlarging the pro-Union voting block.

"I will continue to engage honestly and with good conscience in the coming days and weeks to better understand the direction and focus of any new leadership team, whilst remembering and demonstrating the credo: country first, party second.

“I will be making no further comment at this time.”

The conclusion to the UUP leadership succession came on the same day that turmoil erupted in the Tory Party.

Kemi Badenoch’s potential successor-in-waiting Robert Jenrick was sacked from the government after Conservative insiders uncovered what Mrs Badenoch said was "incontrovertible evidence" that he was planning to defect to Reform (see page 6).

Mr Butler had previously considered standing for leader in 2021, when Steve Aiken stepped down as party chief.

A former fireman and prison officer, his political career began in 2014 when he was elected to the largely-rural Killultagh district of Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council, missing out on topping the poll for the district by a mere 37 votes.

He was then elected to the Assembly for Lagan Valley in 2016, then re-elected in 2017 and 2022 (with 11.3%, 15.2% and 16.2% of the vote respectively).

By contrast Mr Burrows, a PSNI chief inspector who retired in 2021, went straight to Stormont in July 2025 without being elected, instead being picked by the party to replace Colin Crawford MLA who had quit after just a year in post.

Asked by the News Letter at the time why he chose the UUP, Mr Burrows said: “As someone who believes in law and order, I think it's actually a good fit for me, and I think it's a broad church where you can have different views.”