Naomi Long
Naomi Long Lord Mayor of Belfast | |
---|---|
In office 1 June 2009 – 1 June 2010 | |
Deputy | Danny Lavery |
Preceded by | Tom Hartley |
Succeeded by | Pat Convery |
Member of the Belfast City Council for Victoria Ward | |
In office 7 June 2001 – 26 August 2010 | |
Preceded by | Danny Dow |
Succeeded by | Laura McNamee |
Personal details | |
Born | Naomi Rachel Johnston 13 December 1971 Belfast, Northern Ireland |
Political party | Alliance |
Spouse | [3] |
Relations | Adrian Long (father-in-law) |
Alma mater | Queen's University Belfast |
Awards | BBC 100 Women (2022)[4] |
Naomi Rachel Long
Long served as
After contesting the Westminster seat of Belfast East at the next few elections, she is once again the Alliance PPC for the constituency.
Background
Born in east
Political career
She first took political office in 2001 when she was elected to
On 1 June 2009 she was elected as
Member of Parliament
On 6 May 2010 she defeated
On 10 December 2012, Long received a number of death threats and a petrol bomb was thrown inside an unmarked police car guarding her constituency office. This violence erupted as a reaction by Ulster loyalists to the decision by Alliance Party members of Belfast City Council to vote in favour of restricting the flying of the Union flag at Belfast City Hall to designated days throughout the year, which at the time constituted 18 specific days.[15][16]
In 2015, Long lost her seat in the Commons to Gavin Robinson of the DUP, as a result of a five-party unionist pact in the constituency which saw the UUP, UKIP, TUV and PUP all stand aside in favour of Robinson.[17]
She contested the seat for Alliance at the next two elections, and is the Alliance PPC for Belfast East for the 2024 United Kingdom general election.
Return to the Northern Ireland Assembly
In January 2016, Long announced that she would return as an Assembly candidate in the
In August 2016, Long called for Sinn Féin's Máirtín Ó Muilleoir to stand aside as Minister of Finance during an investigation of the Stormont Finance Committee's handling of its Nama inquiry, while Ó Muilleoir was a committee member. This followed allegations that his party had "coached" loyalist blogger Jamie Bryson prior to his appearance before the committee.[21]
In November 2016, Long criticised Sinn Féin and the DUP for delaying the publication of a working group report on abortion, which recommended legislative changes in cases of fatal foetal abnormality,[22] calling on the Executive "to act without further delay to help women who decide to seek a termination in these very difficult circumstances".[23]
Leader of the Alliance Party
On 26 October 2016, Long was elected Alliance leader unopposed following the resignation of
In the 2017 Assembly election, Long topped the poll in Belfast East and was returned to the Assembly with 18.9% of first-preference votes. The election was widely viewed as a success for Alliance, with the party increasing its vote share by 2 percentage points and retaining all of its seats in a smaller Assembly. The party subsequently held the balance of power at Stormont.[26][27]
Alliance targeted two seats in
Following the collapse of talks to restore devolution in February 2018, Long reiterated her view that the pay of MLAs should be cut in the absence of a functioning Executive.[29] In March 2018, Alliance launched its 'Next Steps Forward' paper, outlining a number of proposals aimed at breaking the deadlock and Stormont.[30] At the 2019 Alliance Party Conference, she accused Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Karen Bradley of an "appalling dereliction of duty" over the ongoing stalemate, saying that she had made "no concerted effort to end this interminable drift despite it allegedly being her top priority".[31]
In the 2019 local elections, Alliance saw a 65% rise in its representation on councils. Long hailed the "incredible result" as a watershed moment for politics in Northern Ireland.[32]
Long was elected to the European Parliament as a representative for Northern Ireland in May 2019 with 18.5% of first-preference votes, the best ever result for Alliance.[33] She was subsequently replaced in the Assembly by Máire Hendron, a founding member of the party and former deputy lord mayor of Belfast.[34] She then replaced Hendron in the Assembly with effect from 9 January 2020.[35]
In 2019, Long became the first Northern Ireland politician to have served at every level of government.[36][37]
In March 2022, Long told the Alliance Party Conference that "some politicians are addicted to crisis and conflict and simply not up to the job of actually governing".
Minister of Justice
On 11 January 2020, following the restoration of the
In November 2020, Long said she was seriously reconsidering her position within the Executive following the
Personal life
Long is a member of Bloomfield
In August 2017, Long revealed that she had been suffering from endometriosis and would undergo surgery for the condition.[47]
Electoral history
UK Parliament elections
Year | Constituency | Party | Votes | % | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2005 | Belfast East | Alliance Party | 3,746 | 12.2 | Not elected |
2010 | Belfast East | Alliance Party | 12,839 | 37.2 | Elected |
2015 | Belfast East | Alliance Party | 16,978 | 42.8 | Not elected |
2017 | Belfast East | Alliance Party | 15,443 | 36.0 | Not elected |
2019 | Belfast East | Alliance Party | 19,055 | 44.9 | Not elected |
Northern Ireland Assembly elections
Year | Constituency | Party | First-preference votes | % | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2003 | Belfast East | Alliance Party | 2,774 | 9.0 | Elected |
2007 | Belfast East | Alliance Party | 5,583 | 18.8 | Elected |
2016 | Belfast East | Alliance Party | 5,482 | 14.7 | Elected |
2017 | Belfast East | Alliance Party | 7,610 | 18.9 | Elected[48] |
2022 | Belfast East | Alliance Party | 8,195 | 18.95 | Elected |
European Parliament election
Year | Constituency | Party | First-preference votes | % | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2019 | Northern Ireland | Alliance Party | 105,928 | 18.50 | Elected |
References
- ^ "Key dates ahead". European Parliament. 20 May 2017. Archived from the original on 25 May 2019. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
- ^ "Key dates ahead". BBC News. 22 May 2017. Archived from the original on 26 May 2019. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
- ^ Naomi Long MLA [@naomi_long] (26 September 2020). "So, not the Silver Wedding anniversary we planned" (Tweet). Retrieved 18 May 2022 – via Twitter.
- ^ "BBC 100 Women 2022: Who is on the list this year?". BBC News. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
- ^ "Stormont: Michelle O'Neill makes history as nationalist first minister". BBC News. 3 February 2024. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
- ^ Graham, Seanín (4 December 2017). "Alliance Party leader Naomi Long lifts lid on illness she hid for 20 years, in hope of helping others". The Irish News. Belfast. Archived from the original on 6 July 2018. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
- ^ a b "Biography: Naomi Long". 10 September 2004. Archived from the original on 10 September 2004. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
- ^ a b "Naomi LONG (The Alliance Party of Northern Ireland)". 11 January 2006. Archived from the original on 11 January 2006. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
- ^ OCLC 1108687383. Archivedfrom the original on 15 May 2022. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
- ^ "Naomi Long elected Belfast Mayor". UTV. 1 June 2009. Archived from the original on 8 June 2009. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
- ^ "Inside Ireland". 31 July 2012. Archived from the original on 31 July 2012. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
- ^ "Naomi Long MEP". Alliance Party of Northern Ireland. Archived from the original on 29 October 2020. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
- ^ Parsley, Ian (12 December 2010). "Alliance must clarify precise relationship with LibDems". Archived from the original on 18 July 2011. Retrieved 16 December 2010.
- ^ "No, I do not regret receiving the...: 9 Dec 2010: House of Commons debates". TheyWorkForYou. 9 December 2010. Archived from the original on 18 February 2014. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
- ^ McDonald, Henry (10 December 2012). "MP's office attacked in Northern Ireland". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 14 March 2016. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
- ^ "Policy on the Flying of the Union Flag Equality Impact Assessment – Final Decision Report Appendices" (PDF). Belfast City Council. 27 December 2022. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
- ^ "East Belfast". Ark.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 22 May 2015. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
- from the original on 27 December 2018. Retrieved 27 December 2018.
- ^ McDowell, Iain (15 March 2016). "Standing down from Stormont". BBC News. Archived from the original on 28 December 2018. Retrieved 27 December 2018.
- ^ "Naomi Long Biography". Northern Ireland Assembly. Archived from the original on 27 December 2018. Retrieved 27 December 2018.
- ^ "Finance minister urged to 'step aside'". BBC News. 22 August 2016. Archived from the original on 28 December 2018. Retrieved 27 December 2018.
- ^ Devenport, Mark (28 November 2016). "Report 'recommends abortion law change'". BBC News. Archived from the original on 28 December 2018. Retrieved 27 December 2018.
- ^ "Abortion law needs changed now, says Long". Alliance Party of Northern Ireland. Archived from the original on 28 December 2018. Retrieved 27 December 2018.
- ^ "Naomi Long elected as new Leader of Alliance". Alliance Party of Northern Ireland. 26 October 2016. Archived from the original on 28 October 2016. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
- ^ "Manifesto 2017". Alliance Party of Northern Ireland. Archived from the original on 27 December 2018. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
- from the original on 28 December 2018. Retrieved 27 December 2018.
- ^ Geoghegan, Peter (4 March 2017). "4 takeaways from Northern Ireland's snap election". POLITICO. Archived from the original on 28 December 2018. Retrieved 27 December 2018.
- ^ Walker, Stephen (31 May 2017). "Alliance targets two seats in election". BBC News. Archived from the original on 4 July 2019. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
- ^ "'Cut £500 MLA pay rise', urges speaker". BBC News. 13 March 2018. Archived from the original on 4 July 2019. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
- ^ Devenport, Mark (22 March 2018). "Alliance sets out plan to break deadlock". BBC News. Archived from the original on 6 July 2019. Retrieved 6 July 2019.
- ^ Devenport, Mark (2 March 2019). "Bradley accused of 'dereliction of duty'". BBC News. Archived from the original on 4 July 2019. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
- ^ "Alliance hails 'breakthrough' NI election". BBC News. 4 May 2019. Archived from the original on 7 May 2019. Retrieved 6 July 2019.
- ^ McCormack, Jayne (28 May 2019). "A fast count and a historic Alliance surge". BBC News. Archived from the original on 6 July 2019. Retrieved 6 July 2019.
- ^ "Alliance chooses new MLA to replace Long". BBC News. 20 June 2019. Archived from the original on 6 July 2019. Retrieved 6 July 2019.
- ^ "New MLA - Belfast East Constituency". Electoral Office for Northern Ireland. 8 January 2020. Archived from the original on 11 January 2020. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
- ^ Aston, Karri (24 May 2021). "The future of Northern Ireland - with Naomi Long MLA". www.cfg.polis.cam.ac.uk. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
- ^ "Alliance of engineering and politics: Naomi Long interview". www.linkedin.com. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
- ^ "Naomi Long: Alliance 'can end Stormont political soap operas'". BBC News. 5 March 2022. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
- ^ "Alliance Manifesto 2022 Assembly Election". Alliance Party. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
- ^ "DUP and Sinn Féin back in top jobs at Stormont". BBC News. 12 January 2020. Archived from the original on 25 February 2021. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
- ^ "Domestic violence laws will go through Stormont, not Westminster". BBC News. 28 January 2020. Archived from the original on 29 April 2021. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
- ^ "Prison officer support to be reviewed by minister". BBC News. 11 June 2020. Archived from the original on 3 June 2021. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
- ^ "Justice minister targets criminals' assets". BBC News. 18 June 2020. Archived from the original on 23 March 2021. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
- ^ "Naomi Long 'reconsidering position' in Northern Ireland Executive". BBC News. 12 November 2020. Archived from the original on 13 November 2020. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
- ^ Walker, Stephen (15 June 2018). "Naomi Long 'angry' at Presbyterian Church". BBC News. Archived from the original on 27 December 2018. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
- ^ Simpson, Mark (9 May 2022). "Alliance: Michael Long 'makes history' as three-week mayor". BBC News. Archived from the original on 9 May 2022. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
- ^ "Alliance leader to undergo surgery". BBC News. 7 August 2017. Archived from the original on 27 December 2018. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
- Electoral Office of Northern Ireland. Archivedfrom the original on 22 May 2017.
External links
Media related to Naomi Long at Wikimedia Commons