Doug Beattie quits UUP as clear his membership no longer 'tenable'

Doug Beattie has quit the Ulster Unionist Party, saying it has become clear his membership is no longer "tenable".

The former party leader and Upper Bann assembly member had been facing the prospect of being deselected by his constituency association ahead of the next assembly election.

In a letter sent to party leader Jon Burrows on Sunday, Beattie said it was with "genuine sadness" that he was tendering his resignation with immediate effect.

A UUP spokesperson confirmed they had received his resignation and thanked him for "his many years of service to his country and to the party".

Beattie was first elected as an assembly member to Stormont in 2016, having previously been a councillor for the UUP.

In his resignation letter, Beattie said he no longer felt "at home within the party he led for three years".

Earlier this month, BBC News NI revealed he was facing deselection by his constituency association, in favour of another candidate, Kyle Savage, a councillor on Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council.

Beattie said that over the last 12 years he had made many "valued friendships" within the UUP but that over the past two years he had noticed a "marked difference" in relations between the party management board, the constituency associations, the party's councillor association and the MLA group at Stormont.

He said this had become "accelerated" after Burrows became party leader earlier this year, claiming the party's MLAs were "increasingly marginalised, ignored, isolated and discredited".

The Upper Bann assembly member said even as he raised concerns directly with Burrows, an "insidious campaign of rumour and gossip" was being waged against him.

He added that the issues "came to a head" last week, claiming Burrows had told him he intended to reopen a disciplinary matter against him.

It is understood that issue relates to historical social media posts made by Beattie.

He said this felt like a "deliberate and vindictive" attempt to drive him out of the UUP.

Beattie also said he no longer believes the party reflects a "moderate and progressive outlook".

He referenced the recent decision by a party councillor Kate Evans, who works in Beattie's constituency office, to quit the UUP.

Beattie also criticised a move related to another of the party's nine MLAs, Alan Chambers, who was told not to put his name forward when his constituency association in North Down meets to select its candidate.

He ended his letter by saying he wished the party well and hopes it can "rediscover its social conscience".

In a statement, a UUP spokesperson said they had received the resignation today and thanked Beattie "for his many years of service to his country and to the party".

"We wish him well," it continued.

However, the spokesperson said that "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.

"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."

The UUP spokesperson also thanked councillor Kate Evans "for her many years of service to the party and to the people of Craigavon".

The statement detailed that the party leader had "reached out to Kate personally to wish her well and offered to meet at any time".

"We wish her and her family well," it continued.

"The party's focus remains on serving the people of Northern Ireland, on delivering for them, and on the work ahead."