[caption id="attachment_70745" align="aligncenter" width="600" caption="Mike Nesbitt."]
Former television newsreader Mike Nesbitt is the new leader of the Ulster Unionist Party.
Nesbitt, who was a familiar sight to viewers for his fronting of the show "UTV Live," joined the
party three years ago and after being elected MLA for Strangford in May 2010 has now found himself leading the beleaguered UUP after defeating rival John McCallister to the post on Saturday by 539 votes to 129.
The UUP, which was the dominant party in Northern Ireland from its foundation 90 years ago and up until the last decade, is a shadow of its
former self. This is evident in that only a third of its membership bothered to turn up and vote on Saturday.
"I want everyone in this country to get out of bed with a sense of purpose," said Mr. Nesbitt after becoming the third leader of his party in three years.
"I want this party to wake up with a sense of purpose.
"I want us to reach out to become the party of choice for every pro-union voter in Northern Ireland, including those who still say they want a united Ireland, but privately accept there is no longer a single reason not to enjoy their continued membership of the United Kingdom."
Speaking later, Mr. Nesbitt said there was a disconnect between voters and politicians. However, he has been accused of being patronizing by his political rivals after saying he wanted to live with a family who are struggling on welfare benefits for 24 hours to experience what they were going through in tough economic times.
Nesbitt, also ruled out a unionist pact with the Democratic Unionist Party.
"I can't imagine any circumstances where it would be good for the Ulster Unionist Party, good for the pro-union people of Northern Ireland, or good for politics to have an electoral pact," he said.
He said he would take the UUP's sole ministerial seat on the Northern Ireland Executive before the next Assembly election.
"I think it would be good for the Ulster Unionist leader to be in the executive," he said.
