Long diplomatic about deputy leadership battle – after apparent favourite Sorcha Eastwood announced she won’t run
Alliance leader Naomi Long won’t say who she backs for the party’s deputy leadership – after apparent favourite Sorcha Eastwood announced she won’t run for the position vacated by Stephen Farry.
Upper Bann MLA Eoin Tennyson and South Belfast MLA Kate Nicholl will go head to head for the position.
There is little between the two politically and it is unlikely the battle will focus on any major policy differences.
Naomi Long told Cool FM that she has "an embarrassment of riches" when it comes to her team.
“I am delighted to know that both the candidates who have come forward are strong, they’re capable, they’re insightful. They are people who have been committed to the party – and have really made, I think, a huge change within the party in their current roles”.
Addressing the decision of Sorcha Eastwood not to run, the Alliance boss said “Sorcha is part of our leadership team. As the MP in the party she attends our leadership meetings and she’s very much plugged in to that.
“But I entirely respect the fact that for her this is about serving her constituents, it’s about finding her feet in a new job”, Mrs Long said.
Many Unionist politicians are privately pleased at how the battle is shaping up, as they believe that the ultra-liberal credentials of both candidates won’t assist Alliance in broadening their voting base.
However, many did have concerns about Sorcha Eastwood taking the post – as they believed her more pragmatic approach could have been more of an electoral threat. The Lagan Valley MP has been much more cautious in her pronouncements on a range of contentious social issues than either of the candidates.
In a Stormont discussion on puberty blockers earlier this year, Mr Tennyson said the “priority in this area has to be ensuring that trans individuals get the appropriate care” – and asked Mr Swann to “commit to engaging further with the LGBT sector” on the issue.
Critics, including gay rights groups, have criticised the “ideological” influence of LGBT groups on healthcare. Dr David Bell – a former consultant psychiatrist at the Tavistock gender identity clinic in London has previously said that LGBT+ groups had promoted “the kind of agendas which I’ve been saying are doing such damage”.