Former UUP leader cites ‘toxic atmosphere’ under new leadership as he resigns from party

We need your help now Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open. You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it. One-off amount I already contribute Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.

An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more. Best of the Box Investigates Investigates Money Diaries The Journal TV By-Elections 2026 Climate Crisis Cost of Living Road Safety Newsletters Temperature Check Inside the Newsroom The Journal Investigates Daft.ie Property Allianz Home The 42 Sport TG4 Entertainment Domino's Best of the Box The Explainer A deep dive into one big news story Sport meets news, current affairs, society & pop culture have your say Or create a free account to join the discussion Advertisement More Stories Former UUP leader Doug Beattie (left) and current leader Jon BurrowsAlamy Doug Beattie Former UUP leader cites ‘toxic atmosphere’ under new leadership as he resigns from party Doug Beattie said an ‘insidious campaign of rumour and gossip was being waged against me’. 8.03pm, 31 May 2026 Share options FORMER ULSTER UNIONIST Party leader Doug Beattie has cited a “toxic atmosphere” under the new leadership as he resigned from the party with immediate effect. Beattie was leader of the UUP from 2021 to 2024.

He resigned as leader in 2024 and said it had become “clear that some believe the momentum needed to keep the UUP moving in the right direction cannot come from me”. Mike Nesbitt then took over the leadership of the part for a second time, becoming the first person to have twice held this position.

But he stepped down as leader in January and at the time remarked that he took on the leadership to “do a short-term job”. Recently co-opted MLA Jon Burrows was named the new leader of the party on 31 January are running unopposed for the position. In his resignation letter, Beattie said it had “become clear that my continued membership of the UUP is no longer tenable”. Beattie said that he had made “many valued friendships within the party” but that “over the past two years, I have witnessed a marked deterioration in the relationships” between various UUP groupings.

Today I wrote to the leader of @uuponline to resign from the party with immediate effect. I wish the party well for the future. pic.twitter.com/WGaunKOOuk— Doug Beattie (@BeattieDoug) May 31, 2026 Beattie’s resignation letter was addressed to Burrows and in it he wrote: “This became particularly apparent and accelerated following your election as party leader, when MLAs were increasingly marginalised, ignored, isolated, and discredited. “Your leadership style became dismissive and overly centralised, empowering individuals to actively undermine elected representatives. “In the absence of any coherent policy direction from the leadership, a toxic atmosphere has been allowed to flourish within the party.” Advertisement Beattie said the UUP “once prided itself on its social conscience, its progressive and moderate outlook, and its respected conservative tradition”. He added: “I no longer believe that is the case and I no longer feel at home or comfortable within the party.” He also said he has been “especially concerned by the appalling treatment of both Alan Chambers MLA and Councillor Kate Evans”. Evans resigned from the party earlier this week and remarked that the “strain of internal party politics has taken a significant toll on my mental wellbeing”.

Meanwhile, it has been reported that Chambers has been told that he will be de-selected for next year’s Stormont elections. Beattie said an “insidious campaign of rumour and gossip was being waged against me regarding selections, party relationships, financial matters, and employment issues”. “This came to a head last Thursday when you (Burrows) rang me to say that you intended to reopen a disciplinary matter against me.” Beattie said this was dealt with four years previously and that it “felt vindictive and a deliberate attempt to drive me from the party”. It is understood this relates to historical social media posts made by Beattie. Beattie will now sit as an Independent Unionist MLA and added that he hopes the UUP can “rediscover its social conscience and return to the path set by Mike Nesbitt”.

In a statement to the BBC, the UUP said “the party does not accept the characterisation of recent events set out in Mr Beattie’s letter”. “The party management board met on Thursday evening to consider serious concerns about Mr Beattie’s conduct and judgement,” added the UUP spokesperson. “The board unanimously agreed a course of action, which was due to be communicated to Mr Beattie by the party leader on Monday. “Mr Beattie’s resignation has overtaken that process.” Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Support The Journal Diarmuid Pepper View 3 comments Send Tip or Correction Embed this post To embed this post, copy the code below on your site Email “Former UUP leader cites ‘toxic atmosphere’ under new leadership as he resigns from party ”.

Recipient's Email Feedback on “Former UUP leader cites ‘toxic atmosphere’ under new leadership as he resigns from party ”. Your Feedback Your Email (optional) Report a Comment Please select the reason for reporting this comment. Please give full details of the problem with the comment... This is YOUR comments community.

Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy before taking part. Leave a Comment Submit a report Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines. Damaging the good reputation of someone, slander, or libel.

Racism or Hate speech An attack on an individual or group based on religion, race, gender, or beliefs. Trolling or Off-topic An attempt to derail the discussion. Inappropriate language Profanity, obscenity, vulgarity, or slurs. Advertising, phishing, scamming, bots, or repetitive posts.

Please provide additional information Thank you for the feedback Your feedback has been sent to our team for review. Leave a commentcancel Name not provided Newly created accounts can only comment using The Journal app. This is to add an extra layer of security to account creation. Download and sign into the app to continue.

Access to the comments facility has been disabled for this user View our policy ⚠️ Duplicate comment Post Comment have your say Or create a free account to join the discussion Doug Beattie Jon Burrows mike nesbitt Ulster Unionist Party News in 60 seconds ‘I know my politics’, says David Cullinane when pressed on Sinn Féin’s left-wing credentials Downpatrick Attempted murder investigation launched after police officer struck by stolen squad car Public Safety 'What’s going on with teenagers in Ireland?': Do we have a problem with youth crime? Sophie Finn 11 mins ago evening fix Here's What Happened Today: Sunday How I Spend My Money Money Diaries: A student on €21K planning to emigrate for a better-paid job NCT firm clocks up weekly revenues of €2.26m after first price hike since 2012 Middle East Israel PM says capturing medieval castle of Beaufort a 'dramatic shift' in Lebanon offensive one-off housing Returning emigrants among those set to benefit from rural housing rule changes Man appears in court charged with murder of woman in Galway Dublin City 'We don't want your hotel!': Locals to fight against new six-storey development in Dublin city Internet Diaries How do we understand a world where the White House shitposts about Harambe on his anniversary? Stephen McDermott more from us Investigates Money Diaries The Journal TV By-Elections 2026 Journal Media Advertise With Us Gender Pay Gap Report '25 About FactCheck Our Network FactCheck Knowledge Bank Terms & Legal Notices Terms of Use Cookies & Privacy Advertising Competition more from us TV Listings GAA Fixtures The Video Review Journal Media Advertise With Us Gender Pay Gap Report '25 Our Network The Journal FactCheck Knowledge Bank Terms & Legal Notices Terms of Use Cookies & Privacy Advertising Competition © 2026 Journal Media Ltd Terms of Use Cookies & Privacy Advertising Competition Switch to Desktop Switch to Mobile The Journal supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and the Office of the Press Ombudsman, and our staff operate within the Code of Practice. You can obtain a copy of the Code, or contact the Council, at https://www.presscouncil.ie, PH: (01) 6489130, Lo-Call 1800 208 080 or email: mailto:[email protected] Report an error, omission or problem: Your Email (optional) Create Email Alert Create an email alert based on the current article Email Address One email every morning As soon as new articles come online