THE Ulster Unionist Party leader has asked colleagues whether he should resign amid a controversy over historical tweets.
Doug Beattie, who Ruth Davidson has said is "quite possibly" the man who'll save the Union, has faced accusations of misogyny and racism over the content of tweets posted before he entered political life.
The Upper Bann MLA conceded that the posts, the majority of which were written around a decade ago, were “horrendous and horrific”.
He told BBC Radio Ulster: “I will speak to my MLA group today and I will speak to my party officers through my chairman, Danny Kennedy, and if either group feels I should step down, then I will.
“Likewise, if they think I should refer myself to the party executive or the wider council on a vote of no confidence then I shall do that as well, and the party will decide whether or not they can follow my leadership.”
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Beattie denied being racist or misogynistic.
Later, he said he had received the full support of his party members.
Beattie said: “I have had detailed conversations with all of my MLAs, I apologised for what I had done directly to each one of them and then I spoke (about) whether or not I still had their support to remain as party leader – overwhelmingly every one of them said ‘yes, I did’.
“So I have support from my MLAs.
“But I also spoke with party officers and the party chairman about party officers who also had a discussion around the issue and I have support also from party officers.”
He previously said he is “extremely embarrassed and extremely ashamed” about the social media posts.
The former soldier suggested the “dark and black humour” he used may have been a “coping” mechanism and reflective of him being “desensitised” by battlefield experiences.
“My mental health has been affected by what I have seen and what I have done,” he said.
But Beattie insisted he is not using that potential explanation as an “excuse” for his tweets.
“I don’t want anybody to think I’m giving an excuse because I am simply not, it was wrong and I am deeply sorry,” he said.
He added: “I am asking people to look at the person I am now and not judge me on the person I was 10 years ago.”
The furore erupted after Beattie posted a joke on Twitter on Saturday evening that referred to the wife of a political rival and a brothel.
DUP Stormont minister Edwin Poots said his wife was “disgusted” by the joke. Beattie apologised for the post and deleted it.
He reiterated that apology on the floor on the Assembly on Monday, insisting he was “truly sorry”.
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However, the controversy then escalated after focus turned to Beattie’s historical conduct on Twitter.
A series of derogatory messages came to light referring to women, Muslims, members of the Travelling community and people with mental health issues.
It has marked a dramatic turn of fortunes for Beattie.
He posted the tweet on Saturday evening, hours after a newspaper opinion poll indicated he was the most popular political leader in Northern Ireland.
Former Scottish Tory leader Davidson (above) had written just weeks ago of her admiration for the politician.
"Beattie’s unionism is expansive, seeking to embrace groups that have often felt excluded,” she wrote in an article for Unherd. She also praised Beattie for bringing Northern Ireland's “first openly lesbian elected Unionist”, Councillor Julie-Anne Corr-Johnston, into his party ranks.
"Those who believe in the Union must turn their gaze west… The fight for the future of the UK is about to enter a new phase," she said.
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