Coalition leader Naomi Long to stand in general election

Alliance leader Naomi Long will stand in the Belfast East constituency in the general election.

Mr Long held the seat from 2010 to 2015, the year the DUP’s Gavin Robinson was elected.

Mr Robinson, who is currently interim leader of the DUP, was challenged by Mr Long in the 2017 and 2019 elections and retained his seat.

The party announced that she would remain Stormont’s justice minister for the duration of the election.

She will be the only Executive Minister to stand for election whilst retaining her role as Stormont Minister.

Long said running was “not an easy decision” but one he “thought through carefully.”

“I have fought many elections as a minister but I have never let it distract me from my job,” she said.

“As for resigning, I believe it would cause further disruption to the ministry if I were to take a six-week leave of absence.”

The Alliance leader said big issues such as the parliament’s financial and political stability were expected to be at the centre of Westminster’s local political agenda in the next parliament, so it was vital that more Alliance MPs were elected to help shape the debate.

“The Alliance has a real opportunity to re-elect several MPs and send a message that as a society we are willing to move beyond traditional divisions and want the best outcome for all,” she added.

The Alliance has one seat in Westminster since winning North Down for the first time in 2019, and Stephen Farry is standing to retain it in the July 4th election.

A full list of candidates standing in all 18 constituencies will be published on BBC News NI after the deadline for nominations on 7 June.

Two party leaders, one seat, and a battle as personal as it was political.

But will Naomi Long be back at Westminster when the dawn of July 5 dawns?

Five years ago, she came within 2,000 votes of beating Gavin Robinson to a majority.

At the time, the TUV did not put up a candidate, but the possibility of doing so now seems even more dramatic.

In 2019, neither Sinn Féin nor the Socialist Workers Party ran candidates in East Belfast, but this time both parties are planning to run candidates, which may also be a factor.

Gavin Robinson has already had the tough job of steering his party towards the election, but now he faces the biggest fight of his political life: retaining his seat as DUP leader.

But the Alliance will face a lot of criticism from its opponents for keeping Naomi Long in her role as justice secretary during the Westminster election campaign.

Other parties argue that campaigning means they can’t concentrate on their day-to-day work.

Needless to say, if the Alliance wins East Belfast and holds onto North Down, both the leader and deputy leader will be based in Westminster rather than Stormont. This alone could create internal problems for the party.

Get your popcorn ready, because this will be the showdown on election night.