Burrows pledges to announce new Northern Ireland Health Minister on Thursday

Ulster Unionist leader Jon Burrows has pledged to name his party’s new Stormont Health Minister on Thursday following the resignation of Mike Nesbitt from the post.

As he addressed media questions on the row between him and Mr Nesbitt that led to the latter’s dramatic exit from ministerial office, Mr Burrows also declined to rule himself out of contention for the now vacant portfolio.

“Within 24 hours you’ll know who the next Health Minister is going to be,” the UUP leader told reporters at Stormont.

“You will know tomorrow who the next Health Minister is going to be.”

Mr Burrows was asked a number of times whether he would rule himself out of contention for the post. He insisted he would not engage in “speculation” over the identity of the next minister.

“I’m not going down a rabbit hole here of talking about who’s going to be the next Health Minister, I will make that decision overnight,” he said.

“I will make a weighed-up decision swiftly, but not hastily, in the best interest of people in Northern Ireland.”