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Doug Beattie has expressed regret over encouraging Jon Burrows to join the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), labeling Burrows as “vindictive” following his departure from the party. Beattie, who stepped away from the UUP on Sunday, revealed he felt both saddened and somewhat angry, concluding that continuing his membership was no longer feasible. His resignation came amid growing tensions surrounding his potential deselection by the Upper Bann constituency association ahead of the forthcoming assembly election.
Having served as an assembly member for Upper Bann since 2016, after previously holding the position of UUP councillor, Beattie detailed his decision to resign in a letter addressed to party leader Jon Burrows. In the letter, he conveyed genuine sadness as he formally tendered his immediate resignation. The UUP confirmed receipt of Beattie’s resignation and expressed gratitude for his extensive service to both the party and country, though they disputed his version of the recent events that led to his departure.
During an appearance on BBC Radio Ulster’s The Nolan Show, Beattie indicated that there was a persistent and covert faction within the party that had been briefing against him concerning selections and related matters. He described his relationship with Burrows as once longstanding, having personally persuaded him to join the UUP. However, Beattie now regrets this, noting a significant change in Burrows after his selection as the MLA for North Antrim. He accused Burrows of abandoning a team approach in favor of what he termed the “Jon Burrows show” and recounted a particularly difficult phone call where Burrows informed him of reopening a disciplinary case tied to tweets for which Beattie had apologized four years prior.
Beattie further revealed that he only found out about a suspension decision by the party’s management board after submitting his resignation. He explained that regardless of his resignation, disciplinary proceedings would have barred him from standing in Upper Bann due to restrictions under disciplinary scrutiny. Criticizing Burrows as vindictive, Beattie condemned the decision to revisit a historical case as a spiteful act. Additionally, he described experiencing an ongoing “insidious campaign of rumour and gossip” within the party, contributing to his sense of alienation despite previously maintaining many valued friendships over a 12-year period with the UUP.
In response, the UUP issued a statement acknowledging Beattie’s resignation and thanking him for his service while rejecting his account of the circumstances leading to his exit. The party spokesperson disclosed that the management board had convened the previous Thursday to address serious concerns about Beattie’s conduct and judgment, reaching a unanimous decision on a course of action that was slated to be communicated by Jon Burrows. However, Beattie’s resignation pre-empted the official communication of these matters
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