Nesbitt makes plea for unity as he becomes UUP leader for second time

Mike Nesbitt, the new leader of the UUP has made a plea for party unity.

The 67 year-old, delivered a message to his colleagues that “washing our dirty linen in public” is “not a very attractive look” for the electorate.

It comes after it was announced on Friday that Mike Nesbitt will be the new leader of the UUP. Nesbitt was the only declared candidate when nominations closed.

Mr Nesbitt, who is currently Northern Ireland’s health minister, will be formally ratified as leader at an extraordinary general meeting of the party on September 14.

He has received the required 35 signatures from nine constituencies across Northern Ireland - and said he got the support long before the nominations closed.

It comes after Doug Beattie stepped down as the leader of the party last week citing "irreconcilable differences".

The former journalist previously held the leadership position from 2012-2017 but quit after disappointing Assembly election results.

If selected, the Strangford MLA will be the first person to have twice held the UUP leadership position twice.

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