Mike Nesbitt must be wondering what he has done to deserve his fate, condemned once more to take on the leadership of the Ulster Unionist Party. He must have been very wicked in a former life – and no, I don’t mean his time as a UTV journalist.

The UUP had little choice but to pick him. In a party of pygmies (no offence to pygmies), Nesbitt stands tallest, and at least he knows the job. But in Holywood, as in Hollywood, sequels are rarely a success

In truth, it matters little whether Nesbitt (decent bloke) makes a better fist of the job this time. The UUP is going nowhere.

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Meanwhile a coronation appears to be on the cards too at the SDLP. Claire Hanna is a different kettle of fish. Very much at the top of her game, in any other country she would be in office rather than marooned on the backbenches of a parliament which has proved itself incapable of living up to its responsibilities here.

Claire Hanna must help make us ‘a nation once again’ - Tom........

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