Robin Swann to step down as health minister ahead of Westminster election

​The Ulster Unionist MLA has been selected by his party to contest the South Antrim constituency where Paul Girvin of the DUP is expected to defend his seat.

PA

Robin Swann is to step down as health minister when the general election is called.

The North Antrim MLA returned to the job following the return of powersharing at Stormont.

The UUP candidate held the job as health minister during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Earlier this year, the party announced that Mr Swann would be switching constituencies to run as a candidate in South Antrim in the general election, expected later this year.

Elected representatives are not allowed to hold seats at Stormont and Westminster at the same time.

Mr Swann has now confirmed he will be stepping down as health minister when the general election campaign begins, according to the BBC.

He told Sunday Politics Northern Ireland: “My intention would not be to stay right up until polling day because purdah will kick in and there will be other stages as well,” he said.

“So that decision will be made long before the election day is called, by my party leader.”

Mr Swann also said it would be “rational” for his party colleague, Mike Nesbitt, to assume the role as health minister.

Following his reappointment to the health job after the return of Stormont, Mr Swann insisted in February that he was committed to the role.

At the time, he said the UUP had begun succession talks for the ministerial role and added that his election to Westminster would mean there was an MP “who actually understands our health service”.

BBC

Stormont's health minister has said he will step down from his role once the general election campaign begins.

Robin Swann is also the Ulster Unionist party (UUP) candidate for Westminster in South Antrim.

He told the BBC's Sunday Politics that once the election was called and the election period begins, he would give up his seat at the Stormont Executive.

In 2016, "double-jobbing" - holding seats in both Westminster and Stormont - was banned.

Mr Swann had previously insisted he could remain in the health minister role while campaigning for a seat at Westminster.

He was health minister throughout the Covid-19 pandemic and returned to the role once devolution was restored in February, the same month that he confirmed he would be standing in the general election.

The minister said he was absolutely committed to the job despite intending to run for Westminster, but admitted he would not be staying in the role until polling day.

"My intention would not be to stay right up until polling day because purdah will kick in and there will be other stages as well," he said.

"So that decision will be made long before the election day is called, by my party leader."

His UUP party colleague and Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA), Mike Nesbitt, has been appointed as the private secretary to the health minister and is due to start the role soon.Mr Swann said it would be for his party leader, Doug Beattie, to decide whether Mr Nesbitt was to replace him.

"It could be the thinking of my party leader, yes," he said.

"It would be a rational approach in regards to that."

'Honest with the people'He added: "I need to be clear as well when we talk about Westminster candidates and the current executive.

"If you look across other parties and constituencies as well, it's obvious that some of the executive colleagues sitting around the executive table at the minute are also going to be candidates.

"One of the things we've done as a party, one of the things that I've done, we've actually come out and said it and been honest with the people."

The health minister also told the programme the health system needed £1bn of funding "just to stand still".

Mr Swann is attempting to tackle the longest waiting lists in the UK, while also pushing through reform of health and social care services in Northern Ireland.

"To stand still I need an additional £1bn and that's in regard to additional monies to honour the pay settlements that we made this year but also to look at pay settlements for next year," he said.

"To look at the increasing cost of drugs, new treatments but also look at making sure that our workforce is at a living wage level - there is a legal commitment for us to do that as well.

"Those are the sort of pressures we are under."

Mr Swann said he has had a couple of meetings with the Finance Minister, Caoimhe Archibald.

"Her job at this moment in time is going to be far more challenging trying to get a budget that actually recognises challenges across all departments, but also what is realistic to do with the portfolio she has," he said.

Stormont ministers have said they need £2bn more than the amount of funding that is available this year.

The finance minister has previously said she would like the budget to be agreed by the end of April.

Tom StewartWhat happens if Robin doesn't get into Westminster?Doug BeattieStays as an MLADougWe don’t have a budget yet or a PfG. His priorities are our priorities.David McCannI appreciate there will be different views on it.I just think doing it now will be confusing and it's not a personal thing, Assuming it's Mike, I think he'll do a good job and he's passionate about mental health.

DougRobin staying till we have a budget and PfG does make sense while getting his replacement ready. You know it makes sense reallyMcCannIf he gets elected is the key bit in the sentence.I'm not trying to be critical for the sake of it. Just think going before is going to be hard to understand.Doug BeattieReally…. I remember the same voices saying Robin can’t be a health minister and run a full election campaign.Now it’s….. Robin can’t leave until he has run a full election campaign.