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PA Media<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\nDoug Beattie has resigned as leader of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP).<\/p>\n
In a statement, he cited “irreconcilable differences” between him and party officers.<\/p>\n
Mr Beattie took over as leader of the party in May 2021.<\/p>\n
It is understood there have been internal tensions over his role in recent weeks.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
After several difficult electoral performances, the party regained a seat at Westminster in July’s general election.<\/p>\n
It is believed that the tensions are linked to the selection of Colin Crawford as the party\u2019s new North Antrim MLA last month.<\/p>\n
He replaced Robin Swann when he was elected MP for South Antrim.<\/p>\n
In his statement, Mr Beattie said leading the party had been an honour and said there had been “small successes on the back of difficult electoral results with a lot of work still to do”.<\/p>\n
“It is now clear that some believe the momentum needed to keep the Ulster Unionist Party moving in the right direction cannot come from me,” he said.<\/p>\n
“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.”<\/p>\n
He said the UUP would immediately begin the process of selecting a new leader.<\/p>\n
The UUP has had three leaders – including Mr Beattie – since Mike Nesbitt resigned in the aftermath of the 2017 assembly election.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Mr Beattie added in his statement that leading the UUP had been at times “lonely and isolating”.<\/p>\n “I am no stranger to leadership and that is how it often feels in taking a toll both physically and mentally,” he said.<\/p>\n “It also strains friendships and political relationships.”<\/p>\n He said that while many colleagues had shown “loyalty and support” there were others who “did not agree with the direction and path I set for the party and the vision I promoted”.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Mr Beattie took over as leader of the UUP in May 2021.<\/p>\n The party has experienced a tough time in elections since it was surpassed by the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) at the Stormont poll in 2003 and the Westminster election of 2005.<\/p>\n But in the months following Mr Beattie’s election as leader, the UUP overtook the DUP in opinion polls.<\/p>\n The “Beattie bounce” did not last and the UUP subsequently had challenging local and assembly polls, although it did win a seat in the House of Commons in the 2024 general election.<\/p>\n Mr Beattie was born on an Army base in Hampshire and later became a soldier.<\/p>\n In 2005 he was commissioned as an officer at the rank of captain and served three tours of duty in Afghanistan.<\/p>\n For his actions in fierce fighting over several days in September 2006 he was awarded the Military Cross – the third-highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/bbcx\/grey-placeholder.png\")
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<\/div>\n<\/div>\nWho is Doug Beattie?<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n