Doug Beattie | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 18thLeader of the Ulster Unionist Party | |
| In office 27 May 2021 – 28 September 2024 | |
| Deputy | Robbie Butler |
| Preceded by | Steve Aiken |
| Succeeded by | Mike Nesbitt |
| Ulster Unionist Party spokesperson forJustice | |
| Assumed office 24 May 2021 | |
| Leader | Himself Mike Nesbitt |
| Member of the Legislative Assembly forUpper Bann | |
| Assumed office 5 May 2016 | |
| Preceded by | Sam Gardiner |
| Member of theArmagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council | |
| In office 22 May 2014 – 5 May 2016 | |
| Preceded by | Council created |
| Succeeded by | Julie Flaherty |
| Constituency | Portadown |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Douglas Ricardo Beattie (1965-10-13)13 October 1965 (age 59) Hampshire, England[1] |
| Political party | Ulster Unionist Party |
| Spouse | Margaret Beattie |
| Children | Luke Leigh |
| Residence(s) | Portadown,County Armagh |
| Alma mater | Royal Military College, Sandhurst |
| Profession |
|
| Website | Official website |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Branch/service |  British Army |
| Years of service | 1982–2016 (regular) 2016–present (reserves) |
| Rank | Captain |
| Unit | Royal Irish Regiment |
| Battles/wars | The Troubles Kosovo War Iraq War War in Afghanistan |
| Awards | Military Cross Queen's Commendation for Bravery NATO Meritorious Service Medal |
Douglas Ricardo BeattieMCMLA (born 13 October 1965) is a Northern Irish politician and former member of theBritish Army,[2] who was leader of theUlster Unionist Party (UUP) between 27 May 2021 and 28 September 2024. He has been aMember of the Northern Ireland Assembly (MLA) forUpper Bann since 2016. He is characterised as a 'progressive' and 'liberal'unionist.
Beattie was born in 1965 in a military base inHampshire; his father was awarrant officer in theRoyal Ulster Rifles, a regiment of theBritish Army. The family returned toPortadown,County Armagh,Northern Ireland, when he was 10 following the ending of his father's regular service. The family moved into a house in Union Street, in the densely-populated Edgarstown area on the outskirts of the town centre.[3]
Beattie's mother died young, leaving his father (who had by this time enlisted with theUlster Defence Regiment) to raise him, his three sisters and two brothers. At the age of 15 he accidentally shot a friend when the two of them found Beattie Snr'spersonal protection weapon and were playing with it. Although shot in the head, his friend recovered.[4]
At the age of 16, in 1982, Beattie joined theRoyal Irish Rangers and following training was posted to the 2nd Battalion who were stationed in Wavell Barracks,Berlin.[5]
In over 28 years of service, he rose to the rank of Warrant Officer First Class (WO1) and was appointedregimental sergeant major. During that time he served in Bosnia,Kosovo,Iraq and Northern Ireland, being awarded the General Officer NI commendation, theQueen's Commendation for Bravery (for saving the lives of enemy soldiers)[6] and theNATO Meritorious Service Medal. He was commissioned from the ranks in 2005, gaining promotion tocaptain.[7]
During theAfghanistan War, as part of theOperational Mentoring and Liaison Team, Captain Beattie was part of an operation to retake the town ofGarmsir inHelmand Province. As a result of his actions during the intense fighting over several days, he was recommended for, and subsequently awarded, theMilitary Cross.[8]
Following his return from Afghanistan, Beattie published the first of two books,An Ordinary Soldier,[9] which became an immediate best seller in the United Kingdom and propelled him into the public eye.[10] Beattie's follow-up book wasTask Force Helmand.[11]
After retiring from the army, Beattie joined theUlster Unionist Party[12] and was elected toArmagh, Banbridge and Craigavon District Council for the Portadown area in the2014 local elections.[13]
In May 2016, he was elected as anMLA for theUpper Bann constituency.[14]
Before the2017 Ulster Unionist Party leadership election, Beattie was named by commentators as a possible contender to replace former leaderMike Nesbitt; however, in the end onlyRobin Swann ran, and was elected unopposed.[15][16] In October 2019, after Swann announced he was standing down as leader of the party, Beattie ruled himself out of contention as the next leader and endorsed former Royal Navy commanderSteve Aiken and served as Deputy instead.[17]
Beattie stood as a candidate for Member of Parliament forUpper Bann in the 2019 General Election.[18] He came fourth, losing toCarla Lockhart of theDemocratic Unionist Party (DUP).
In May and September 2020, Beattie was threatened by theSouth East Antrim UDA after he condemned threats they had made against journalists.[19][20]
Beattie announced in May 2021 that he was putting his name forward to be the next leader of the UUP following the resignation of Steve Aiken. He said that he would be "able to reach out to all people in Northern Ireland regardless of what your religion is, sexual orientation or ethnicity".[21] Beattie waselected unopposed on 17 May 2021,[22] and was officially ratified 10 days later.
In January 2022, Beattie apologised after posting a joke on Twitter about the wife of DUP politicianEdwin Poots.[23] In the aftermath, several of Beattie's historic tweets re-emerged, containing content that was perceived as "casually misogynistic", and including derogatory comments about women and members of theIrish Traveller community.[24][25] The tweets were posted between 2011 and 2014, while Beattie was still a serving soldier and before he entered politics. Beattie said that he was "deeply ashamed" of the tweets.[26]
Beattie attended protests against theNorthern Ireland Protocol, the post-Brexit trade arrangements. In March 2022, he announced he would continue to oppose the Protocol but would no longer take part in the series of rallies. Beattie said they had been hijacked byloyalists to raise tensions "that now see a resurgence inUVF activity". Following this, his constituency office in Portadown was attacked,[27] and a poster of a noose around his neck appeared at a loyalist rally inLurgan.[28]
At the2022 Assembly election, he was the fourth candidate elected in Upper Bann, despite initial reports that he was at risk of losing his seat.During the election count, Beattie told the Belfast Telegraph that “I’ve set the direction of travel. And what we have done previously, within the Ulster Unionist Party, is something bad has happened and we’ve all said ‘Oh, we’ll have to rethink what we’re doing’ and we’ve gone off in a completely different direction.“I don’t believe that’s the case this time.”[29][30]
Beattie caused further controversy in December 2022 when he said, during a debate on restoring the Northern Ireland Assembly, that the DUP "scream, whinge and whine like a girl from the sidelines".He subsequently apologised for the remarks.[31]
Following losses for the UUP in the2023 local elections, Beattie said that unionism was always likely to "take a hit across the board" due toSinn Féin's growth.[32] He remarked, however, that "a fully functioningStormont will stop the swing to Sinn Fein in its tracks."[33]
Throughout his leadership of the Ulster Unionist Party, Beattie had repeatedly called for the restoration of the devolvedNorthern Ireland Executive.[34] In August 2023, he said that the absence of a devolved government is "causing untold harm in Northern Ireland" and, without an Executive, Northern Ireland has "no say, no scrutiny and absolutely no power."[35]
On 19 August 2024, it was reported that Beattie was going to resign as UUP leader. He confirmed this in a statement later that same day, stating: “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. 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.”[36]
It is thought that Beattie's resignation was in response to party officers' decision to not support the co-option ofBallymoneycouncillor Darryl Wilson as MLA forNorth Antrim, following theelection of Robin Swann asMP forSouth Antrim.[37]BallymenacouncillorColin Crawford was instead selected for the seat.[38]
Following his announcement, there was speculation that he would stand in the subsequentleadership election, though Beattie ruled himself out, saying: "It would simply not be credible, or right, for me to put my name forward to be re-elected as the party leader. I must accept that while a large number would like me to stay as leader there is an equal number that may not."[39][40]
Beattie has been characterized as a 'progressive'[41] and 'liberal' within the UUP, but said upon his election as leader that those with conservative values had "nothing to fear" from him and that he would "tread a path to make sure that your voice is heard and I will never denigrate your opinion".[22][42] He proposed a motion in Stormont calling for a ban ongay conversion therapy, which passed, and argued "[there] is no therapy that would make me a gay man. So why would we say that a gay man can be fixed or cured? There isn't. It's ludicrous. Conversion therapy is humiliating."[43]
Beattie is against theNorthern Ireland Protocol, the post-Brexit trade arrangements, believing it is damaging to theBelfast Agreement. He said "I do not want a hardened border on the island of Ireland, but neither do I want a border in the Irish Sea".[43]
A former soldier, Beattie has pressed for Northern Ireland to adopt theArmed Forces Covenant and ensure support for military veterans and their families.[44] He also argues that soldiers who served duringthe Troubles should not be immune from prosecution, saying "Soldiers were here to stand between the terrorists and the terrorised. If they went outside the law then they have to face the law".[45]
Beattie is a firm supporter ofdevolution and has opposed boycotts of the devolved institutions in Northern Ireland.[46]
As a proponent of the Belfast Agreement, Beattie is opposed to theSt Andrews Agreement as he believes it "changed" the Belfast Agreement and turned "every election into asectarian headcount."[47]
Some statement related to Beattie's resignation.[48]
You were born in barracks in Hampshire, in 1965
Even I myself have always classed myself as being Irish, Northern Irish and British, but a proud unionist.
That is why it is the firm belief of the Ulster Unionist Party that the Assembly and Executive must be restored to deal with the challenges still posed by the Windsor Framework and to grasp its opportunities.
| Northern Ireland Assembly | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | MLA forUpper Bann 2016–present | Incumbent |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Leader of the Ulster Unionist Party 2021–2024 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
