Alliance leader Naomi Long claims her opponents in Stormont are ‘addicted to crisis and conflict’

Alliance leader Naomi Long accused Stormont’s opponents of being “addicted to crisis and conflict” and “simply not exercising real power”.

He said the audience was tired of the “continued political dramas and soap operas” and wanted politicians to “focus on finding solutions.”

Speaking at a party conference in Belfast, Ms Long said the election of more coalition MPs “ensures the assembly is reformed” and “ensures that no party can move forward with a ransom demand”.

Last month, the DUP ousted Paul Giovanni as prime minister in protest of the Brexit protocol in Northern Ireland, forcing Sinn Fein’s Michelle O’Neill to step down as deputy prime minister.

Other ministers remain in office, but can only make limited decisions because it is not possible to bring full executive power to five parties.

Ms Long said: “We are emerging from a pandemic, battling climate change, facing a cost-of-living crisis, and there is a war on our doorstep in Eastern Europe.

This is not the time to abandon the government, this is the time to lead the government.

The justice minister said health care reform and restoration and the squeeze on living expenses were the main concerns of his party.

East Belfast AML added: “Because of so much important work, it is hard to understand how we are still without a CEO, just two years after the restoration.

It seems that some politicians are addicted to crises and conflicts and simply cannot rule.

People needed continuous soap operas and political plays. They want politicians who not only identify more problems — or worse, add them — but also focus on finding solutions that work for the best.”

Speaking at a party conference at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, he said “together we can build a greater team of coalitions” in the May general assembly elections.

“A team that not only gives more and better, ensures that together we can reform the association, break out of the binary politics of dividing people and make sure neither side can move forward to demand ransom.”

As part of Brexit and Ireland’s maritime trade protocol, Ms Long said her party continues to be “focused on decisions”.

The coalition leader said the UK’s exit from the European Union continues to “destabilize” relations between London, Brussels and Stormont.

Long criticized Prime Minister Boris Johnson for his “loud promises” and “dissenting” over how the British government should handle Brexit.

Surprisingly, he said, some “continue to believe in the man and the party that throws them under the bus in such a sequence.”

“In fact, some parts have spent so much time on the bus in the past few years that you’d forgive them for their Translink mechanics mistake,” he added.

Ms Long criticized DUP for opposing legislation proposed by fellow MLA colleague Kelly Armstrong to promote integrated education.

The DDP is seeking support for a troubling petition to block a bill on integrated education, arguing that the proposed law would force Stormont to “prioritize one sector over all others”.

Ms Long said the bill was not about prioritizing integrated education, but rather about “leveling the playing field”.

“It is unfortunate that there is still such hostility towards co-education for children in 2022,” he said.

Ms Long added: “Some people seem to fear what will happen if barriers are broken in our society and people realize how much they have in common: together we can achieve so much more than we can.”

The alliance leader also praised the “unprecedented” growth of his party, saying his party had more than 300 new members last year.