Michael Nesbitt, MLA (born 11 May 1957) is a Northern Irish politician and former broadcaster[1] currently serving as the Minister of Health since 28 May 2024.

He has been the Leader of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) since 30 August 2024 following his successful candidacy in the 2024 leadership election after previously serving in the role from 2012 to 2017.

Nesbitt resigned from the post on 17 February 2010 to become the parliamentary candidate for the Ulster Conservatives and Unionists – New Force in the constituency of Strangford.

He has been compared to reforming and liberal Ulster Unionist Party Prime Minister of Northern Ireland Terence O'Neill by some historians and politicians.

[citation needed] In May 2020, Nesbitt resigned as deputy chair of an Assembly committee after he admitted breaking COVID-19 lockdown rules by visiting a female friend.

In this role, he called on the United Kingdom government to cut Northern Ireland's corporation tax to appeal to businesses and U.S. investment in NI.

[31] Nesbitt welcomed the increase in the number of people supporting organ donation in Northern Ireland following the one year anniversary of the introduction of Dáithi's Law on 31 May 2024.

He visited Kirkinriola Primary School to take part in a Cancer Focus Northern Ireland Sun Scientist session.

"[36] On 25 June 2024, Nesbitt welcomed the publication of final draft NICE guidance recommending use of the drugs Kaftrio, Orkambi and Symkevi for cystic fibrosis.

[37] Nesbitt praised local health trusts after Northern Ireland became the first region in the UK to have all its diagnostic imaging services accredited on 26 June 2024.

[47] On 1 August 2024, Nesbitt and Justice Minister Naomi Long launched a new Care Pathway and Model to provide streamlined access to Community Forensic Services.

[49] Nesbitt welcomed confirmation from the BMA Northern Ireland consultants committee that it will accept the pay offer tabled by the Department of Health on 23 August 2024.

[50] On 27 August 2024, Nesbitt extended the appointment of Professor Siobhan O’Neill as the Mental Health Champion for Northern Ireland.

[51] Nesbitt acknowledged the "immensely valuable" contribution made by internationally recruited staff in Health and Social Care in Northern Ireland on 29 August 2024.

[54] In April 2012, Nesbitt announced that he wanted to make history by being the first leader of his party to attend a Sinn Féin ard fheis.

[57][58] Following the 2017 Northern Ireland Assembly election, Nesbitt announced his intention to step down as party leader, which he did on 8 April 2017.

[59] On 27 August 2024, following the resignation of Doug Beattie as UUP leader, the News Letter reported that Nesbitt would be the only candidate to succeed him and would run on a ticket of reforming the party.

[60][61] In a statement, UUP deputy leader Robbie Butler endorsed him saying he would lead a "revised and refreshed" leadership team offering "an exciting opportunity".

Nesbitt will deliver his first speech as the new UUP leader remotely after he failed to recover from COVID-19 in time to attend the party's annual conference.