Nesbitt defends McCallister sacking

Published Tuesday, 02 October 2012
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UUP leader Mike Nesbitt has defended his decision to remove John McCallister as deputy leader of the party's Assembly group.

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    Nesbitt defends deputy decision
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    Extended interview: Mike Nesbitt

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Mr Nesbitt stood down the South Down MLA following a speech he made to young Unionists on Saturday.

The speech had been seen as accusing the party of "sleepwalking into Unionist unity".

Mr Nesbitt defended the move in an interview with UTV, adding that the timing of Mr McCallister's speech on the weekend of the Ulster Covenant had been "unfortunate".

He said: "John was wrong to infer that I was sleepwalking the party into unionist unity.

"He was wrong to suggest that Peter Robinson is in the driving seat in terms of control of the Ulster Unionists and the timing of the day of this big parade in Belfast was also very unfortunate

"I'd been thinking about the position of deputy leader of the group and whether it actually has a meaning and so it was appropriate time to stand him down and review."

I was elected on a ticket of bringing cohesion to the party and coherence and that does involve discipline.

Mike Nesbitt

"I believe that I've not been found wanting and I believe I do have the support so I'm taking action where action has to be taken," he added.

However, Mr Nesbitt also described the removal of his deputy as not a "big issue," before adding that it was an internal matter.

It is understood Mr McCallister has stepped down from his post as the party's health spokesman.

Mr Nesbitt continued: "I'm not looking for a fight with anybody. I got 81% of the vote when I was elected six months ago.

"Ten days ago at our conference, the Belfast Telegraph said 82% want me to lead the party into the next elections."

On Monday Mr McCallister, who previously ran for the party's top spot, said he accepted Mr Nesbitt had the right to remove him from the deputy leader post at Stormont.

"I made comments in a speech to a Young Unionist dinner to mark the Centenary of the Ulster Covenant and I stated that I did not believe unity to be helpful to unionism or to Northern Ireland as a whole," he explained.

"I am disappointed at the Leader's decision as I believe that in the majority of my remarks I was quoting from the Leader's speech at the Party Conference and I remain very supportive of his call to end sectarianism and tribal politics."

© UTV News
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4 Comments
Martin in Larne wrote (258 days ago):
anything that has uup or mike nesbit in the title i just turn off now. the party is falling down around him
Adam in Monkstown wrote (258 days ago):
Mike Nesbitt increasingly comes across as a man with no understanding of how to actually win votes for the UUP. My wife thinks he is creepy, and my mother jokes he has nothing to say because no-one has prepared a script for him. Our house was always UUP, we stod by the party during Ulsters darkest hour in 1985, and stayed faithful during the 1998 agreement. Now the UUP is so far from where we stand as a family I can see us voting elsewhere next time.
tom in ni wrote (259 days ago):
Never thought nesbitt was even a unionist,as i remember some of his performances on utv news in the past.How nesbitt was elected party leader is beyond me,and shows that the party is finished.
Bertie in Belfast wrote (259 days ago):
So Mike Nesbitt what do you stand for, Unionists Unity ie select sole unionsist Candidate so the same sectarian head count and seperation of green or orange politics OR PROGRESSIVE engagement and integration. Sacking your deputy was wrong, ill advised and shws that you lack vision. From news reader to inexperienced politician singing of the same old sectarian hymn sheet. Its terrible what a silver spoon does when its in your mouth. PS Did you ever spend that night or week with a poor family who are more concerned with having a job, money to buy food, shoes to put on their kids feet
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