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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
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| Nesbitt is UUP election candidate | Nesbitt is UUP election candidate |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Former television presenter Mike Nesbitt has been selected as a general election candidate for the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) in Strangford. | Former television presenter Mike Nesbitt has been selected as a general election candidate for the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) in Strangford. |
| Mr Nesbitt resigned as one of Northern Ireland's Victims' Commissioners on Wednesday. | Mr Nesbitt resigned as one of Northern Ireland's Victims' Commissioners on Wednesday. |
| "I had one motivation as a Victims Commissioner," Mr Nesbitt said. | "I had one motivation as a Victims Commissioner," Mr Nesbitt said. |
| "That motivation stays with me in seeking to become an MP and that is to make a positive difference in the day to day lives of people." | "That motivation stays with me in seeking to become an MP and that is to make a positive difference in the day to day lives of people." |
| He added: "I believe that I now have the full range of skills that I didn't have before I joined the commission and what was missing was a knowledge of public service." | He added: "I believe that I now have the full range of skills that I didn't have before I joined the commission and what was missing was a knowledge of public service." |
| Mr Nesbitt will have to go before a joint committee of the UUP and Conservatives, who are in an electoral alliance, for his candidacy to be finalised. | Mr Nesbitt will have to go before a joint committee of the UUP and Conservatives, who are in an electoral alliance, for his candidacy to be finalised. |
| Strangford was held at the last general election by Iris Robinson of the DUP. | Strangford was held at the last general election by Iris Robinson of the DUP. |
| Mrs Robinson stepped down from politics in December following a BBC Spotlight programme which investigated her business dealings with her lover. | Mrs Robinson stepped down from politics in December following a BBC Spotlight programme which investigated her business dealings with her lover. |
| Mr Nesbitt is a former UTV presenter. | Mr Nesbitt is a former UTV presenter. |
| On the subject of the NI Assembly, Mr Nesbitt said: "There's a lot about the devolved administration which is good, but there's also dysfunctionality. | On the subject of the NI Assembly, Mr Nesbitt said: "There's a lot about the devolved administration which is good, but there's also dysfunctionality. |
| "It's time to take the stabilisers off the bike and pedal it under our own power and not have prime ministers and taoiseach up from Dublin to put their hand on the back to make sure we don't wobble." | |
| He said he could understand if some long-term party activists in Strangford resented his candidacy, but said he would talk to them to convince them he was doing it for them, not for himself. | He said he could understand if some long-term party activists in Strangford resented his candidacy, but said he would talk to them to convince them he was doing it for them, not for himself. |
| Votes | Votes |
| At the 2005 Westminster election the DUP had 56% of the vote in Strangford with the Ulster Unionists a distant second on 21%. There was a similar voting pattern in the 2007 Stormont election. | At the 2005 Westminster election the DUP had 56% of the vote in Strangford with the Ulster Unionists a distant second on 21%. There was a similar voting pattern in the 2007 Stormont election. |
| The Victims Commission congratulated Mr Nesbitt on his selection. | The Victims Commission congratulated Mr Nesbitt on his selection. |
| "Michael has been steadfast and committed to the work of this Commission since its inception, and his contribution will be missed by his colleagues," it said. | "Michael has been steadfast and committed to the work of this Commission since its inception, and his contribution will be missed by his colleagues," it said. |
| Sinn Fein's Francie Molloy said Mr Nesbitt should have resigned before he was selected. | Sinn Fein's Francie Molloy said Mr Nesbitt should have resigned before he was selected. |
| "Clearly Mr Nesbitt knew what his intentions were having had his name in for the candidacy with the UUP," he said. | "Clearly Mr Nesbitt knew what his intentions were having had his name in for the candidacy with the UUP," he said. |
| "His position, as one of the four Victims' Commissioners, needed to be totally separate from any party political affiliation." | "His position, as one of the four Victims' Commissioners, needed to be totally separate from any party political affiliation." |