Jon Burrows will set out his vision for a “confident” Ulster Unionist Party which will give voters a “real choice” when he is formally ratified as leader on Saturday.

The political newcomer’s meteoric rise to the top of the party comes just six months after he joined the Assembly, and after outgoing leader Mike Nesbitt announced his intention to stand down earlier this month.

Mr Burrows, who was co-opted into the North Antrim seat last summer, faced no contest for the post after outgoing deputy leader Robbie Butler decided not to put his name forward. He will be replaced by Mr Burrows’s running mate Diana Armstrong.

Popular with the party’s grassroots members, there have been questions about whether some of Mr Burrows’s MLA team will fully back him. However, claims of splits at Stormont have not materialised.

Ulster Unionist MLAs Jon Burrows and Diana Armstrong were unopposed in their bid to become party leader and deputy leader, respectively

placeholder image — Ulster Unionist MLAs Jon Burrows and Diana Armstrong were unopposed in their bid to become party leader and deputy leader, respectively

In a speech to UUP members at the Stormont Hotel in Belfast on Saturday, the new leader will outline his vision for the party and for Northern Ireland.

‘Confidence’ is expected to be the theme of his message to the party faithful – something he believes will drive “strategic thinking”, advocating for the Union – and cooperation, where it strengthens unionism.

However, Mr Burrows wants to offer a “real choice” to the electorate – and will ‘call out’ the “political failures of others”. He will also commit to “avoiding short term own goals” seen over the last 20 years – citing issues such as Brexit, Assembly seat cuts, local government reform and Stormont collapses which “damaged devolution and unionism”. The UUP boss says he will deliver a “fundamental reset” for the party.