2012 Ulster Unionist Party leadership election

Technopedia Center

Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science
S1 Informatics S1 Information Systems S1 Information Technology S1 Computer Engineering S1 Electrical Engineering S1 Civil Engineering

faculty of Economics and Business
S1 Management S1 Accountancy

Faculty of Letters and Educational Sciences
S1 English literature S1 English language education S1 Mathematics education S1 Sports Education

2012 Ulster Unionist Party leadership election - Wikipedia

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

2012 Ulster Unionist Party leadership election

← 2010

31 March 2012

2017 →


Candidate	Mike Nesbitt	John McCallister
Party	UUP	UUP
Popular vote	536	129
Percentage	80.2%	19.3%

Leader before election

Tom Elliott

Elected Leader

Mike Nesbitt

Politics of Northern Ireland
This article is part of a series within the Politics of the United Kingdom on the


Executive Executive Committee First Minister Michelle O'Neill deputy^a First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly Civil Service Government departments ^a Lowercase "d" per here.
Assembly Speaker Edwin Poots MLA Acts Private Members' Bills Committees Windsor Framework Democratic Scrutiny Committee Northern Ireland Assembly Committee on Standards and Privileges Statutory rules Members (MLA) Commissioner for Standards at the Northern Ireland Assembly
Law Supreme Court (UK) Courts of Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland in the UK His Majesty's Government Northern Ireland Office Secretary of State Rt. Hon. Hilary Benn MP Interministerial Standing Committee Parliament of the United Kingdom Direct rule Grand Committee Select Committee Elections Current Westminster MPs
Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland All-Ireland Good Friday Agreement North/South Ministerial Council North/South Inter-Parliamentary Association British–Irish Council
Local government Local government in Northern Ireland Counties Districts Local Government Boundaries Commissioner for Northern Ireland Northern Ireland Local Government Association
Category NI portal Other countries
v t e

The election for the leadership of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) was held on 31 March 2012. The UUP holds an election for the office of Leader each year at its Annual General Meeting, which is normally returns the incumbent unopposed. The contested election was triggered after incumbent Leader Tom Elliott, elected in 2010, unexpectedly announced on 8 March 2012 that he would not be seeking re-election. Nominations closed on 16 March 2012.^[1]

The most likely candidates were considered to be Strangford MLA Mike Nesbitt and Lagan Valley MLA Basil McCrea (who lost to Elliott in the 2010 leadership election, where he was considered the more liberal alternative to Elliott);^[2] Newry and Armagh MLA Danny Kennedy (the party's only minister at Stormont, holding the office of Minister for Regional Development) was also considered to be a likely candidate, and was placed favourite by bookmaker Paddy Power early on.^[3] It was speculated that South Down MLA John McCallister (UUP Whip in the Assembly) might also stand, with some considering him best suited to give the party a fresh start.^[4]

As the nominations deadline drew closer, McCallister announced he would run for the post, while "sources close to" Kennedy, considered the favourite, said that he would also;^[5] McCrea was now considered to be unlikely to stand. McCallister has announced he would withdraw the UUP from the government at Stormont and form the opposition.^[6] McCrea announced his support for McCallister; Kennedy was seen as the proponent of cooperation between the UUP and the DUP, while McCallister was seen to stand for a clearer contrast.^[7]

Nesbitt announced he would be a candidate later the same week.^[8] Kennedy withdrew from the race shortly before nominations closed on 16 March 2012, with speculation being that the decision was sparked by Nesbitt's growing momentum.^[9]^[10] Nesbitt took over as the clear favourite to win the leadership election.^[11]

Nesbitt called for a referendum on introducing an Official Opposition into Stormont; McCallister supports a similar idea.^[12]

McCallister has stated he would expel David McNarry if elected leader, who had been in a public conflict with the outgoing leader Elliott.^[13] Shortly before polling Nesbitt stated that he would be unlikely to offer McNarry the whip following a period of suspension handed down by the disciplinary committee.^[14]^[15]

Results

Candidate	Total
Candidate	Votes	%
Mike NesbittY	536	80.2
John McCallister	129	19.3
Spoilt	3	0.4
Total	668	100

References

^ Purdy, Martina (8 March 2012). "UUP leader Tom Elliott quitting as party leader". Bbc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 8 March 2017. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
^ Moriarty, Gerry (9 March 2012). "Surprise as UUP leader Tom Elliott stands down". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 16 October 2012. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
^ McBride, Sam [@SJAMcBride] (15 March 2012). "Paddy Power make Danny Kennedy the 1/2 favourtie for UUP leader. Mind you, these people made Naomi Long 100/1 in East Belfast in 2010..." (Tweet). Retrieved 7 January 2021 – via Twitter.
^ "The Press Association: Members consider UUP leadership bid". 9 March 2012. Retrieved 21 March 2012.^{[dead link‍]}
^ "Danny Kennedy to stand for UUP leadership". BBC News. 12 March 2012. Archived from the original on 11 April 2021. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
^ "McCallister declares UUP leadership bid". Newsletter.co.uk. 13 March 2012. Archived from the original on 17 March 2012. Retrieved 21 March 2012.
^ "Basil McCrea backs John McCallister for party leader". Bbc.co.uk. 13 March 2012. Archived from the original on 16 April 2021. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
^ "Nesbitt to contest UUP leadership". U.tv. Archived from the original on 20 March 2012. Retrieved 21 March 2012.
^ "Two horse Ulster Unionist race". BBC News. 16 March 2012. Archived from the original on 24 October 2015. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
^ "Danny Kennedy will not run for UUP leadership". Newsletter.co.uk. 16 March 2012. Archived from the original on 6 September 2012. Retrieved 21 March 2012.
^ "Two horse Ulster Unionist race". Bbc.co.uk. 16 March 2012. Archived from the original on 24 October 2015. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
^ "Peter Robinson says no need for opposition referendum". Bbc.co.uk. 19 March 2012. Archived from the original on 11 April 2021. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
^ "David McNarry hits out at John McCallister". BBC News. 21 March 2012. Archived from the original on 11 April 2021. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
^ "David McNarry suspended by Ulster Unionist Party". BBC News. 29 March 2012. Archived from the original on 13 December 2016. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
^ "McNarry return as MLA 'unlikely'". The News Letter. Belfast. 30 March 2012. Archived from the original on 27 April 2012. Retrieved 3 June 2021.

v t e Ulster Unionist Party
Leaders	Saunderson Long Carson Craigavon Andrews Brookeborough O'Neill Chichester-Clark Faulkner West Molyneaux Trimble Empey Elliott Nesbitt Swann Aiken Beattie
Deputy Leaders	McCusker Taylor Empey & Beggs Kennedy McCallister Butler
Chairman	Rogan Cooper Campbell Empey Kennedy
President	Hamilton Craig J. M. Andrews Dixon Brooke Graham J. L. O. Andrews J. G. Cunningham Clark J. Cunningham Smyth Rogan White Steele (honorary)
General Secretary	Gibson Bates Hungerford Douglas Bailie Hutton Millar Wilson Boyd Patterson Rea Corry Wilson C. McCusker
Leadership elections	1969 1971 1974 1979 March 1995 September 1995 2000 2004 2005 2010 2012 2017 2019 2021 2024
Organisational structure	Young Unionists
History and related organisations	Progenitor: Irish Unionist Alliance Allies: Labour Unionists/Liberal Unionist/Conservatives Offshoots: Vanguard (1973–78)/NI21 (2013-16) Electoral alliance: UCUNF (2009)
Lists	List of Ulster Unionist Party MPs Ulster Unionist Party Presidents and General Secretaries List of Ulster Unionist Party Peers
Other topics	Chief Whip Election results Electoral history

Categories:

Hidden categories: