Opinion

Editorial: Public will deliver verdict on Beattie

ON becoming Ulster Unionist leader in May last year, Doug Beattie pledged to pursue progressive policies and create a "union of people".

The DUP at the time was in turmoil, on the second of three leaders within a space of weeks, and Mr Beattie's party must have hoped the decorated army officer's personal appeal would chime with voters at an assembly election.

However, that was before a slew of offensive tweets dating back around a decade resurfaced this week.

The posts are shocking both in their content and volume, with Mr Beattie himself describing them as "horrendous and horrific".

Far from portraying a union of people, they are derogatory about women in particular but also Muslims and members of the Travelling community. One post also appeared to defend the use of the n-word in a film.

The Upper Bann MLA is not the first public figure to have been confronted with past social media posts, and he is unable to cite the immaturity of youth in his case.

He has provided some context, referring to "dark humour" used as a "coping mechanism" in a male-dominated, military environment. He denies being racist or misogynistic.

However, Mr Beattie has acknowledged that nothing can excuse his behaviour and revealed that he offered his resignation to party colleagues on Monday.

With his political future in the balance, he has asked people to "look at the person I am now and not judge me on the person I was 10 years ago".

One obvious problem is that the tweets came to light after demonstrating a serious lack of judgement only last weekend when publishing a joke with a reference to DUP minister Edwin Poots and his wife. That post is now subject to legal proceedings.

But what is notable in Mr Beattie's case is the speed and unqualified nature of his apologies.

Politicians are notoriously reluctant to admit fault, and when apologies are dragged out they are often qualified by language such as 'if offence was taken'. Resignations are even rarer, particularly in Northern Ireland.

It is to Mr Beattie's credit that he immediately expressed what appeared to be genuine remorse and fronted up for detailed scrutiny.

While winning the support of party MLAs and officers yesterday, there is no doubt that Mr Beattie's personal credibility has been left severely damaged.

Should he lead his party into an election in a few months' time, the ultimate verdict will be delivered by the public.