Mike Nesbitt to make first speech as UUP leader remotely

Mike Nesbitt will deliver his first speech as the new Ulster Unionist leader remotely after he failed to recover from Covid in time to attend the party’s annual conference.

The party had been confident that Mr Nesbitt, who is also Stormont’s health minister, would be able to attend the event on Saturday after missing several days of Stormont business this week.

However, on Friday it was confirmed that that he has not recovered sufficiently to attend the conference in Belfast in person.

A party spokesperson said: “He will be addressing the closed session tomorrow morning for his ratification as party leader and the open conference at 14:45, both via a live stream.”

Mr Nesbitt had been due to answer health questions in the Assembly on Tuesday afternoon but the session was cancelled.

A session where he was due to appear before his scrutiny committee was also rescheduled.

In a social media post at the time he said: “I have tested positive for Covid and will be at home recovering for the next few days.

“I continue to attend to ministerial business as much as possible.”

It was announced last month that Mr Nesbitt, 67, was to become UUP leader for the second time.

He was the only declared candidate for the position following the resignation of Doug Beattie.

The Strangford MLA became health minister after his party colleague Robin Swann vacated the role ahead of the general election.