Letter: Another fundamental error of judgment by Naomi Long - perhaps it is time someone else should take on the important justice portfolio

I write as a former member of the Alliance Party and its governing Party Council (2012-2021).

However, l feel l must criticise publicly Naomi Long’s treatment of the chief constable by instructing her permanent secretary to try to ‘silence’ the chief constable in his direct appeal the prime minister for more funding for the PSNI (‘Doug Beattie says the PSNI has been 'degraded' under Alliance - amid growing criticism of justice minister Naomi Long,’ September 7).

As the chief constable correctly pointed out at his recent press conference with the prime minister, he has every right to communicate directly with Sir Keir Starmer to appeal for more funding – as the PSNI have ‘two masters’ because the PSNI has part responsibility for national security (which is a reserved Westminster matter).

Instead of working against the chief constable, the justice minister and her permanent secretary should be working with the chief constable, so as to obtain this extra funding from Westminster .

This is the second time Ms Long has shown a fundamental error of judgment as justice minister – the other insisting on recent legislation regarding identifying sex offenders that was struck down by the high court as not being compliant with human rights .

Is it now time for someone else to take on this important portfolio? I fear Ms Long is not just doing damage to her own party image but is now damaging the prospects of the PSNI getting the extra funding it desperately needs.

Geoffrey Wilson, Dunmurry, Co Antrim