Doug Beattie: Next health minister 'likely' to be Mike Nesbitt

Mike Nesbitt is an Ulster Unionist Party assembly member for Strangford

It's a "fair deduction" that Strangford MLA Mike Nesbitt will be Northern Ireland's next health minister, the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) leader has said.

Doug Beattie said there would be no confirmation before the UUP selects a Westminster candidate for Strangford.

He also defended making Robin Swann health minister despite plans for him to stand in the general election.

Mr Swann will stand down once the election campaign begins.

When the executive reformed in February, Mr Beattie said "all the parties had the ability to take health but they didn't and we did".

"In 24 hours I had to choose to go into government and decided on health and who to go in there," he told BBC Radio Ulster's Talkback programme.

"I wanted to hit the ground running," he said, adding that Mr Swann had been chosen because he knew the brief well".

He added: "He can get it up and running, be there for the budget, programme for government, train up a replacement and then when the time is right - it can be a seamless transition".

Mr Beattie said Robin Swann could "hit the ground running" on health

Mr Beattie said unionism was in trouble and there was "disillusion" among some sections of unionism.

"We need to change our mentality and how we think," he told the programme.

"Pessimism never won a battle, so we really need to have optimism, direction and purpose," he said.

"Until we start showing people that optimistic view where they're able to be part of it and grow unionism we will not achieve anything," he added.

Tim Collins 'has to learn'

He also defended the selection of retired British Army officer Tim Collins as his North Down candidate.

In January Mr Collins told Good Morning Ulster he supported the government's Legacy Act, a position contrary to UUP party policy.

He also made comments about immigration, benefits and Northern Ireland councils in an interview with the Belfast News Letter.

Mr Beattie has distanced himself from the comments - however said he still had confidence in his candidate.

"It was a bad interview and is not in keeping with the language and policies of the UUP but he gave that interview two months ago and it was run last week," he said.

"I failed him and failed to make sure he understood the policies," he said.

"I had to learn when I got into politics at a rapid rate and Tim has also had to learn at a rapid rate," he added.