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Rt. Hon. Jeffrey Donaldson MP

Nesbitt admits using Victims Commission post for experience

Lagan Valley DUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson has critcised prospective Ulster Unionist candidate Mike Nesbitt for admitting publicly that he saw his role as a Victims Commissioner as a filler for a gap in public service in his résumé before he would embark on a political career. In an interview which appeared in this week’s Newtownards Chronicle, Mr. Nesbitt is quoted as saying:

"This has been a long time coming, 25 years or more, ever since I started interviewing politicians as a broadcast journalist with the BBC. The reason it has taken so long is that I needed to build up the full set of skills and experiences to do the job as a Member of Parliament. The biggest gap was in finding experience of public service. That is what I have devoted my life to over the last couple of years."

Commenting, the DUP’s Victims spokesman said,

“There will be many people in Strangford and far beyond who will be as disappointed as I am at Mike Nesbitt’s admission that he became a Victims Commissioner in order to enhance his CV ahead of launching a long held desire to become a politician. While one can admire the honesty of such an admission, it is hard to see this as other than self-serving and opportunistic. By his own admission, Mike Nesbitt viewed the Victims Commission as a mere staging post in his career as he sought to attain some experience of public service. Dealing with victims issues is not about ticking a box it’s about giving a voice to and addressing the needs of the victims and survivors of the Troubles."

In light of what Mr. Nesbitt has said, I think that many will question his commitment to his former post as Victims Commissioner. How do we know that trying to become an MP isn’t simply another staging post for Mr. Nesbitt on his journey to some other job that he aspires to?

Whilst others have dedicated decades of their lives to proudly serving the people of Strangford, helping them day in and day out with their problems, Mike Nesbitt clearly believes that he can construct a CV of public service by applying for a post, holding on to it for a short time and then flitting off to chase his next career objective. This is no substitute for a clear lack of work on the ground on behalf of local people and local communities. Public service is about much more than filling a gap on a CV. It is literally about a committment to serve the people. That requires real dedication to the task rather than a short term approach for personal advancement."

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