theyjust want more money and, yeah, they can hold the country to ransom. tens of thousands of people have marched in central london calling on the government to do more to help tackle the cost of living crisis. the government is to trial a scheme allowing asylum seekers who cross the channel in small boats to be electronically tagged. police in brazil confirm a body found in the remote amazon rainforest is the missing british journalist dom phillips. now on bbc news, it's time for political thinking with nick robinson. welcome to political thinking, a conversation with of that rather than interrogation of someone his

political thinking helps to shape ours. once again, london and brussels are at loggerheads. once again come row between the uk and the eu is about the status of northern ireland. once again, politics in belfast is deadlocked, with unionists refusing to share power with sinn fein. my guess is someone whose life and career is based on your refusal to take sides in the political battle to stop it is a decision that has paid dividends for naomi long, who leads the alliance party, which won a record number of seats in the recent elections. brought up in one of the most fiercely loyal as parts of east belfast, she insisted that politics should not be defined by whether you want northern ireland to stay in the uk ought instead to be united with the rest of ireland. but does she and her party really represent anything more than simply none of the above? naomi long, from belfast,

welcome to political thinking. hi there. do you everfind welcome to political thinking. hi there. do you ever find yourself ever so slightly really of the stop—go nature of politics in northern ireland, which too many people looking in from outside, seems defined by one sightseeing they will not talk to the other. absolutely. i suppose it has two inputs. yes, i get weary stop when i was first elected back in 2003, the assembly was suspended, and actually in the time that i have been elected to the assembly, which has had breaks in between when i was elected to other places, but the assembly has actually been suspended as much as it has sat, so to say that i am weary of the stop—go nature of politics is probably putting it quite madly. but also, i am motivated by it, because of the whole purpose of me getting involved

in politics was that i wanted northern ireland to be better. i wanted to heal divisions, bring people together work as a society and work from there in terms of people is aspirations, and i suppose thatis people is aspirations, and i suppose that is the evidence that we have work to do. it is really income but it is also motivating. for work to do. it is really income but it is also motivating.— it is also motivating. for100 ears, it is also motivating. for100 years. politics _ it is also motivating. for100 years, politics and _ it is also motivating. for100 years, politics and that - it is also motivating. for 100 - years, politics and that northern ireland has been defined by what side you're on. we have a look in the mirror and think, what are you doing thinking you can and that and convince people that politics is about what it is in the rest of the country. about what it is in the rest of the count . ,, ., , , about what it is in the rest of the count . , , ~ . country. sometimes, it feels like an ower country. sometimes, it feels like an power struggle. _ country. sometimes, it feels like an power struggle, but _ country. sometimes, it feels like an power struggle, but many _ country. sometimes, it feels like an power struggle, but many when - country. sometimes, it feels like an power struggle, but many when i'm | power struggle, but many when i'm trying to explain it to a journalist, who maybe don't really understand the dynamics and the changes that have happened in society over the last 2a years of the good friday agreement, or when i am arguing with tolls on twitter, which is i still do despite all the

advice of the country, they want to put me into a box and put in, politics, and at that time i do feel like it is an uphill struggle, but when i start to the public, when about meeting people on the doors, which is minister ofjustice, it makes sense. it doesn't make strange or weird run at all. it is makes sense. it doesn't make strange or weird run at all.— or weird run at all. it is true that --eole or weird run at all. it is true that peeple are _ or weird run at all. it is true that people are telling _ or weird run at all. it is true that people are telling opinion - or weird run at all. it is true that i people are telling opinion pollsters that they don't want to be box, they don't want to describe himself as either unionist or nationalist. there are of people will have constitutional aspirations, but it doesn't necessarily define other politics. the problem is when you sign up to be a unionist on a national estate are often a lot of other baggage that comes with that in terms of your wider political prospectus, and i think even people have some aspirations, they don't necessarily want to buy into the whole package, and it does not necessarily either the driving force. there it is and what motivates me to get up out of bed

and go to work and be involved in politics. i wouldn't been doing that if it was just about a united ireland or remaining in the uk, because that is not to me fundamental. i do it because i love northern ireland, i believe it can be a better place, i believe our society can work together and we can be more optimistic for the future. that is what you say motivates you, and i want to get a sense as we talk offer that comes from. you and i want to get a sense as we talk offer that comes from.— offer that comes from. you now represent _ offer that comes from. you now represent east _ offer that comes from. you now represent east belfast, - offer that comes from. you now represent east belfast, you - offer that comes from. you now| represent east belfast, you have done it in northern ireland assembly, you have done it in the house of commons, you have done it in the european parliament as well. you have talked of east belfast of being the place that formed me and my values. to those of us who are occasional visitors to the city, we will know that the idiot that you grew up and is one of the most tribal areas in the whole of northern ireland. —— the area that you grew up in full stop you still see commuters paying tributes to loyalist terrorists in certain houses as you walk down the street.

what sort of upbringing was it for you? i what sort of upbringing was it for ou? ,. what sort of upbringing was it for ou? . , what sort of upbringing was it for ou? ,. . , what sort of upbringing was it for ou? ,. ., . what sort of upbringing was it for ou? . , what sort of upbringing was it for ou? ., . , ., you? i tribalwas it? that is one side of east _ you? i tribalwas it? that is one side of east belfast, _ you? i tribalwas it? that is one side of east belfast, the - you? i tribalwas it? that is one side of east belfast, the other. you? i tribal was it? that is one i side of east belfast, the other side is that i grew up in a very close—knit community, a place where people genuinely had a real sense of community, perfamily screw people genuinely had a real sense of community, per family screw up generation after generation together, and there was a sense of pulling together. —— where families grew up. the tribal stuff actually often impacted really negatively in those communities, when you had gatekeepers from paramilitary organisations exercising coercive control over communities rather than giving people that freedom, and that has shaped my politics, because i hate bullying. ijust can't stand it. and it felt like bullying, and it. and it felt like bullying, and it felt oppressive. so, for me, my politics is about trying to give people and those communities the freedom that people in more affluent communities actually enjoy, to live in mixed areas, to be able to

socialise together and be in mixed communities, to be able to send their kids to integrated schools, and all of those things that are starting to happen after the agreement, that is aspirations that i have. ., agreement, that is aspirations that ihave. ., . ~' agreement, that is aspirations that i have. ., . ~ ., agreement, that is aspirations that ihave. ., . «a, . i have. you talk of coercive control. — i have. you talk of coercive control. you _ i have. you talk of coercive control, you talk _ i have. you talk of coercive control, you talk of - i have. you talk of coercive l control, you talk of bullying. i have. you talk of coercive - control, you talk of bullying. is that your memories are being a little girl, feeling that you had to conform, that you are expected to be something, to behave in a particular way, to say certain things? it wasn't so much as a child, because i think that all parents my parents protected me from much of what was going on, but we were aware that there were paramilitaries in the community. well we are where there were certain families that if you crossed it would have consequences? yes, we were, and people still love with that today.— with that today. there are younger eo - le with that today. there are younger people who _ with that today. there are younger people who listen _ with that today. there are younger people who listen and _ with that today. there are younger people who listen and watch - with that today. there are younger people who listen and watch this, | people who listen and watch this, for whom it is frankly a mystery, it is lost in the mists of time. you are talking of living and an area

where you risked life and limb if you were to do the opposite of what people in the community thought for the right thing. in people in the community thought for the right thing-— the right thing. in some cases, if there was _ the right thing. in some cases, if there was a _ the right thing. in some cases, if there was a dispute _ the right thing. in some cases, if there was a dispute with - the right thing. in some cases, if there was a dispute with the - the right thing. in some cases, if. there was a dispute with the family who were paramilitary links, peoples wonders would be sparse, their car set on fire, whatever it might be as a warning. ultimately, people had to leave the community because they were threatened. those things happened and still do, and i wasn't immune to that. but there was a wider sense that because there was a battle going on in northern ireland at time, and it did feel a kind of embattled position that people needed to stick together, because there was a sense that if you didn't, that division would be exploited and so on. i suppose that you just grew up with that as kind of unawareness. it wasn't... we had come as a family, i suppose an experience where, it sounds like a trivial thing, experience where, it sounds like a trivialthing, but experience where, it sounds like a trivial thing, but people were collecting to paint the curbs in our street, red white and blue, for the

12th come and smite mum would not pay for that, because she didn't believe we should deface public property. it is fairly basic stuff! but she felt strongly about it, and we woke up next morning with a massive union flag painted on the road outside our house, but remember 1690 across the top. we got the message come if you didn't come from, you would confirm any more. in saying that, they didn't paint the curbs outside the house, so it was a ferric victory, but we managed to at least assert that we didn't want that to happen. that was something i was conscious of that going up. you love with the _ was conscious of that going up. you love with the celebrations of the fence hundreds of years ago but the belief that you had to assert your identity by painting flowers, by having marches. your dad was a member of the order, as it would be none and east belfast, the orange order, but for him and people like him just seems a perfectly natural thing to do, like being a member of

the local club. but she became aware, later in life, too many people and nationals communities that seem to be an aggressive organisation that was very hostile to them. �* organisation that was very hostile tothem. �* , organisation that was very hostile to them. �* , . to them. and i suppose there are still many — to them. and i suppose there are still many people _ to them. and i suppose there are still many people in _ to them. and i suppose there are still many people in northern - still many people in northern ireland, protect and rural communities, where older men will go to the lodge because their because their fathers, to the lodge because their because theirfathers, their to the lodge because their because their fathers, their brothers, to the lodge because their because theirfathers, their brothers, their neighbours were all involved. and it's kind of the community, and it is how they engage with each other, so my dad was in the lodge, both the orange and another one, so he was quite in for. in fact, the 12th, had lodged there from our house to go to the 12th, and he was master of his lot. 50 i was steeped in that sort of culture, and it was really only when i went to university at queens in belfast that i had my first taste of cross community education integration, admitting people from a completely different background, who different values, different ideals and i had... different values, different ideals and i had- - -_ different values, different ideals andihad... ., ., . ,, �*

and i had... you got a glimpse i'm told, at school, _ and i had... you got a glimpse i'm told, at school, from _ and i had... you got a glimpse i'm told, at school, from a _ and i had... you got a glimpse i'm told, at school, from a teacher, i and i had... you got a glimpse i'm| told, at school, from a teacher, he gave you a glimpse that you didn't have to go along.— have to go along. yeah. i mean, i su ose have to go along. yeah. i mean, i suopose my _ have to go along. yeah. i mean, i suopose my family _ have to go along. yeah. i mean, i suppose my family were - have to go along. yeah. i mean, i suppose my family were never . suppose my family were never particularly staunch but sounds odds when my dad is in the orange order, but they were not particularly stance, and my mum wasn't particularly political. at the thames kids would scribble on the blackboard when the teacher wasn't there, and given what was being scribbled on the walls at the time ijy scribbled on the walls at the time by adults, some of those would be uvf or give slogans or whatever. the loyalist paramilitaries. yeah, that would have been scribbled. i do remember our teacher when we were in primary school, and she came in and she was cleaning this off the board and she said, these are bad people. you should not be writing this on the ball. it was quite a brave thing to say given that some of the kids in class, their parents might have been involved in those organisation. she said these were bad people, it will run your life if you get involved. we were only about eight or nine at the time, and the

conversation very quickly progressed but people saying, how do you vote for, how do you vote for? and she said, the alliance party. and i didn't really know who the alliance party bar, but i thought this was fascinating, so i told the story to my mum and dad, and my father, jokingly, said, you should tell that she needs to be careful, because you start in the middle of the budget will get knocked down. if there is i have to say i have heard many times since! �* . , ., . , he since! and he was on, was he? he certainly was. _ since! and he was on, was he? he certainly was, but _ since! and he was on, was he? he certainly was, but i _ since! and he was on, was he? he certainly was, but i went - since! and he was on, was he? he certainly was, but i went back - since! and he was on, was he? he certainly was, but i went back to l certainly was, but i went back to school and told my teacher does and she said to me, tell yourfather much better to be in the middle of the road than in the gutter, dear. and i thought this was fascinating that this debate was happening. and i told my dad and he just laughed and said, good for her. it is i told my dad and he just laughed and said, good for her.— and said, good for her. it is a brave thing — and said, good for her. it is a brave thing to _ and said, good for her. it is a brave thing to go _ and said, good for her. it is a brave thing to go against - and said, good for her. it is a brave thing to go against the | brave thing to go against the politics of your father, to go against the politics of own

community, to stand up to the threats which they undoubtedly were, of violence. yourfamily, unlike many in northern ireland, had i think nodirect consequences from the troubles, but you do remember as a young girl the experience of watching other people go through this sort of tragedy. i watching other people go through this sort of tragedy.— this sort of tragedy. i remember i was very involved _ this sort of tragedy. i remember i was very involved with _ this sort of tragedy. i remember i was very involved with the - this sort of tragedy. i remember i was very involved with the girl- was very involved with the girl guides, and i was and the gang show and the opera house. there was a big group of us are performing, and we had had a really good run that week, and the saturday night performance was a special performance, because we were going to be joined was a special performance, because we were going to bejoined by lady cecily gibson, who was the chief guide in northern ireland, her husband notjustice gibson, was a seniorjudge, and they were travelling back from dublin, and there was an explosion and were killed. and they were martyred in that explosion. find killed. and they were martyred in

that explosion.— killed. and they were martyred in that explosion. and i remember us beinu that explosion. and i remember us being brought _ that explosion. and i remember us being brought together _ that explosion. and i remember us being brought together before - that explosion. and i remember us being brought together before the | being brought together before the performance and told what had happened, because she had come and visited during rehearsals and she had shown great interest, and we were excited for her to come and see the final show. and we were told what had happened, and then we went on with the show. new; what had happened, and then we went on with the show.— on with the show. many people put concludes in _ on with the show. many people put concludes in your _ on with the show. many people put concludes in your community, - on with the show. many people put concludes in your community, your| concludes in your community, your family, the need to fight the ira, we need to fight sinn fein, the party, that supports as well. we need to come in other words, to back the traditional unionist parties. you chose a different path. you say that your school teacher recommended it, you see that you and your husband met at queens university, you had yourfirst husband met at queens university, you had your first exposure relate to people of a different politics. what, though, convinced you that you could defy the convention that you had to choose a site? i could defy the convention that you had to choose a site?— had to choose a site? i think they

were a couple _ had to choose a site? i think they were a couple of— had to choose a site? i think they were a couple of things. - had to choose a site? i think they were a couple of things. i - had to choose a site? i think they were a couple of things. i think . were a couple of things. i think first about choosing a side had never really serve my community well, so, yes, i came from a unionist back and in many days would say, should it unionist were in a much more positive position, but i grew up in a terraced house, two up, two down, outside toilet, very little progress in our community. the whole thing was from politicians that they could rely on getting your support, but they didn't really have to do much in return. and to suppose my first experience when i was at university, i approach my then mp peter robertson and i asked for his help with an issue, a financial issue, and i didn't get any response. and ijust thought, what is the point of politics of people out there to help when you need it? we have spoken tojohn allardice, an alliance counsel who went on to be leader of the party. at that meeting, that assistance, crucial to your decision? it

meeting, that assistance, crucial to your decision?— your decision? it was certainly crucial in _ your decision? it was certainly crucial in terms _ your decision? it was certainly crucial in terms of _ your decision? it was certainly crucial in terms of first - your decision? it was certainly crucial in terms of first of - crucial in terms of first of excellence my edge politics was a pointless exercise, because that had my perception, i guess, growing up in northern ireland wasn'tjust about people picketing on television, and i apologise to people who now see me doing that! but i didn't see how it delivered four people, and when your order resolve the problem and did it quickly, i suddenly thought, actually, you can't do politics in a way that will make a difference to people, but will actually make their lives a bit easier. and i like that because i'm a province of about nature, and that is how i approach my. nature, and that is how i approach m . ., nature, and that is how i approach in , ., ., ., my. how good did it feel, when in 2010, you — my. how good did it feel, when in 2010, you defeated _ my. how good did it feel, when in 2010, you defeated that - my. how good did it feel, when in 2010, you defeated that man - my. how good did it feel, when in 2010, you defeated that man whoj 2010, you defeated that man who refused to help you, or ignored your plea, peter robinson, when you run against him to take the house of commons seat. aren't short people, because he was after all first minutes of northern ireland. yeah, he was. minutes of northern ireland. yeah, he was- he — minutes of northern ireland. yeah, he was. he had _ minutes of northern ireland. yeah, he was. he had held _ minutes of northern ireland. yeah, he was. he had held the _ minutes of northern ireland. yeah, he was. he had held the seat - minutes of northern ireland. yeah, he was. he had held the seat for. minutes of northern ireland. yeah, he was. he had held the seat for 31 j he was. he had held the seat for 31 year. he narrowly won it at the

expense of one of the party's founder leaders, so there was a particular resonance for the party in winning that's it. for me, i suppose we had had a difficult relationship right from the outset with a dup in east belfast. i have never personalised it, it was never about bringing down peter robinson, it was about one in four alliance. but they wanted to bring you down, because the unionist parties are clubbed together five years later to get to it, but they successfully did. do they tell you, and you have talked about being late night on twitter when you shouldn't be, i suspect they think there are a traitor, don't they? they think you protrude you roots, that you are actually helping sinn fein to success, because you are not helping them. in success, because you are not helping them. ., . , them. in northern ireland, this desire that _ them. in northern ireland, this desire that we _ them. in northern ireland, this desire that we all _ them. in northern ireland, this desire that we all have - them. in northern ireland, this desire that we all have to - them. in northern ireland, this desire that we all have to take | them. in northern ireland, this| desire that we all have to take a side is pretty strong, and the local

terminology is a londy, which harks back to the siege of derry. i get that sewing at me occasionally. what i do i do for my community, because i do i do for my community, because i believe that the opportunities northern ireland can have as a peaceful place, as a place where we have more integrated lives, public and work together instead of putting apart, are so much greater than the opportunities we have with the vision. and it isn't to dismiss the past, it matters and we have to deal with that and in a way that has integrity, and i don't excuse what the ira did come and i certainly don't accept that it was valid. but i do believe very strongly that we have an opportunity as a result of the good friday agreement to move beyond that conflict and start to look at how do we re—gear our society in a way that we can respectfully disagree on the constitutional position but still work together on the health service, the state of our communities come on housing, on the cost of living

crisis? all those things that actually really impact on so many people. actually really impact on so many --eole. , , ., . , people. this is not a news interview, for _ people. this is not a news interview, for a _ people. this is not a news interview, for a detailed l interview, for a detailed conversation about something that makes people eye that you want with boredom or scratch their head with bafflement, the northern ireland protocol, important though of course it is. let me just put something of the principal to you. but ministers in westminster say is, not we have to listen to that unionists' objecting to this thing that makes him feel less british. we have to listen to the fact that businesses in northern ireland, some of them, find it a lot harder to do business with the uk than it did before. because that is what we need to do to support the good friday agreement to support the good friday agreement to make sure there is peace. we can'tjust back once side are not the other. you think they are wrong. why? first of all, i think they are

being disingenuous, because that's all stems back to brexit, and no one listen to the majority of people in northern ireland over brexit, not even to the degree for the return for breaks brexit we would end up with. the people of scotland and northern ireland said no to brexit, the people of northern ireland, the vast majority, the overwhelming numbers in northern ireland, said that we shouldn't have brexit, and it was clear that what we needed to do, if you look at our politics, for example, was that we needed some kind of soft landing zone, and we were denied that by the dup and the conservatives.— conservatives. given that you like to stress the _ conservatives. given that you like to stress the positive, _ conservatives. given that you like to stress the positive, can - conservatives. given that you like to stress the positive, can you - conservatives. given that you like | to stress the positive, can you see it weird? at}! to stress the positive, can you see it weird? _, , , ., . it weird? of course. first of all, in terms of _ it weird? of course. first of all, in terms of how— it weird? of course. first of all, in terms of how we _ it weird? of course. first of all, in terms of how we deal- it weird? of course. first of all, in terms of how we deal this, i it weird? of course. first of all, i in terms of how we deal this, there is always a weird, but it is the same way that that is for northern ireland and its difficulties, respect, negotiation and trust. but trust also has to be between the unionist community and the british government, so you can't do a deal with brussels if they haven't yet done a deal with the unionists, can

they? done a deal with the unionists, can the ? �* . . , , done a deal with the unionists, can the? they? actually, they can, because international— they? actually, they can, because international relationships - they? actually, they can, because international relationships is - they? actually, they can, because international relationships is not l international relationships is not of ofcom and the good friday agreement and the requirement for cross community consent only applies to those issues which are devolved matters, not to those which are in. for example, brexit was able to happen if not a majority in northern ireland and a majority of nationalists opposed. let's look at a different issue the government are dealing with, the issue of legacy cases in westminster... legacies from the so-called _ cases in westminster... legacies from the so-called troubles. - cases in westminster... legacies from the so-called troubles. in l from the so—called troubles. in other words, a legacy of ireland. actually looking at inquiries that have never been completed and trying to conclude them. they are about to take action there which will have an application for the devolved government, they have no support from any political party.— from any political party. when michelle o'neill _ from any political party. when michelle o'neill was - from any political party. when michelle o'neill was on - from any political party. when michelle o'neill was on this i michelle o'neill was on this programme, the leader of sinn fein in the north, she said she thought there would be a united ireland,

quite possibly in her lifetime. d0 quite possibly in her lifetime. do ou? i quite possibly in her lifetime. dr? you? i don't know. it's impossible to save. before brexit, i would have said, odds—on, probably not. since, thinks have been much more fluid, and people who would have been previously unionist, though i would have said pragmatic unionist, perhaps is the way to describe them, who were content with the status quo, unless content with the status quo, unless content with the status quo than the previous. i5 quo, unless content with the status quo than the previous.— quo than the previous. is that the best way to _ quo than the previous. is that the best way to describe _ quo than the previous. is that the best way to describe you? - quo than the previous. is that the best way to describe you? not. best way to describe you? not reall . i best way to describe you? not really. i don't _ best way to describe you? iirrt really. i don't really have... i suppose i don't really define myself in that way. but suppose i don't really define myself in that way-— in that way. but you must have a view. in that way. but you must have a view- not — in that way. but you must have a view. not necessarily, _ in that way. but you must have a view. not necessarily, because l in that way. but you must have a view. not necessarily, because i| view. not necessarily, because i don't really _ view. not necessarily, because i don't really need _ view. not necessarily, because i don't really need to _ view. not necessarily, because i don't really need to have - view. not necessarily, because i don't really need to have if - view. not necessarily, because i don't really need to have if you. don't really need to have if you right now, because it's not a pressing question, and as i have said before, i'm a practical, pragmatic politician... ii said before, i'm a practical, pragmatic politician... if everyone is auoin pragmatic politician... if everyone is going around — pragmatic politician... if everyone is going around having _ pragmatic politician... if everyone is going around having an - pragmatic politician... if everyone i is going around having an argument about something there is a fundamental, are you seriously saying that when you are home with michael, pouring a glass of wine, i

think of all that? you have opinion on it? i think of all that? you have opinion on it? ., �* . . think of all that? you have opinion on it? .,�* . ., ., think of all that? you have opinion onit? .,�* . ., ., ., on it? i don't have a strong opinion as to what — on it? i don't have a strong opinion as to what is _ on it? i don't have a strong opinion as to what is the _ on it? i don't have a strong opinion as to what is the best _ on it? i don't have a strong opinion as to what is the best outcome - on it? i don't have a strong opinion as to what is the best outcome for| as to what is the best outcome for northern ireland, but i do see, as everyone else does, that every time the government intervenes in ways that are damaging to northern ireland or upsetting to the political process here, that it makes the argument for northern ireland remaining in the uk more difficult. ii ireland remaining in the uk more difficult. , ., , . difficult. if you woke up and united ireland, difficult. if you woke up and united ireland. you _ difficult. if you woke up and united ireland, you wouldn't _ difficult. if you woke up and united ireland, you wouldn't be _ difficult. if you woke up and united ireland, you wouldn't be in - difficult. if you woke up and united. ireland, you wouldn't be in despair? ireland, you wouldn't be in despair? i recognise that every time that union reacts in this kind of over—the—top way, it discombobulated nationalists in northern ireland, who suddenly feel like, what's the point of giving this a go? when we could have unity instead. and ijust think that unionism in some ways has dealt itself every kind of self harming plot with brexit and with the reaction to the protocol. i think it is unhelpful. i

the reaction to the protocol. i think it is unhelpful.— the reaction to the protocol. i think it is unhelpful. i 'ust want to return think it is unhelpful. i 'ust want to eumt to t think it is unhelpful. ijust want to return to something - think it is unhelpful. ijust want| to return to something personal before being wound up. you referred to the late nights on twitter, you refer to the fact that it is likely fighting about. i imagine that you have a lifetime of being... abused. i aet a lot have a lifetime of being. .. abused. i get a lot of— have a lifetime of being... abused. i get a lot of abuse, _ have a lifetime of being... abused. i get a lot of abuse, but _ have a lifetime of being... abused. i get a lot of abuse, but not - i get a lot of abuse, but not exclusively on social media. i had an e—mail recently, i was on rte during the election can't come and we had just won a of seat. i was rushed onto the podium to speak. it was a difficult election campaign for me, my father—in—law passed away from cancer after quite a long battle. he was buried on election day, so it was an easy election for us. and i give my interview and got home, opened by e—mail, and some gentlemen i think i use the term lightly— had e—mailed me to tell me that my share was a mess and that i hadn't seen a stylist in a long

time, and i could do with working on my presentation. i wrote back and i said i wasn'tjust hoping people would vote for this, they had come in more significant numbers than ever before, and i said, for the last number of weeks i have been doing a number of things, i have been running my department i have been running my department i have been letting my party to unparalleled success in an election, i have buried my father—in—law, and i have buried my father—in—law, and i thought nothing mattered less to me in my care, but thank you for reminding me that something does — you'd opinion of it! because the idea that somebody bothered to send me an e—mailabout idea that somebody bothered to send me an e—mail about my share was... i was incredulous. but that is not that unusual. we are constantly getting advice about what will look about our weight, but the tone of her voice. about our weight, but the tone of hervoice. it about our weight, but the tone of her voice. , ., , her voice. it should let this. finall , her voice. it should let this. finally. give _ her voice. it should let this. finally, give me _ her voice. it should let this. finally, give me one - her voice. it should let this. finally, give me one tip, i her voice. it should let this. | finally, give me one tip, how her voice. it should let this. - finally, give me one tip, how do you... because there will be people listening to this thinking, how do you do it? how do you tolerate that level of abuse, and why would you

still tell others, as i suspect you were come as a party leader, to follow you into politics? i were come as a party leader, to follow you into politics?- were come as a party leader, to follow you into politics? i have a stron: follow you into politics? i have a strong support _ follow you into politics? i have a strong support network- follow you into politics? i have a strong support network and - follow you into politics? i have a strong support network and i - follow you into politics? i have a i strong support network and i have follow you into politics? i have a - strong support network and i have a good sense of humour! a lot of the time, you have to put yourself into the shoes of the people to seek out the shoes of the people to seek out the abuse, and imagine how sad and empty of their lives must be more and remind yourself that your life is neither, and just move on. is neither, and 'ust move on. naomi lona , is neither, and 'ust move on. naomi long. leader— is neither, and just move on. naomi long. leader of— is neither, and just move on. naomi long, leader of the _ is neither, and just move on. naomi long, leader of the alliance - is neither, and just move on. naomi long, leader of the alliance party i long, leader of the alliance party of northern ireland, thank you very much forjoining me on political thinking. thank you. there is a sense that the plates are moving into northern irish politics. that perhaps in future politics were not simply be defined by kilowatts which side of the constitution notified to you are on, but, and it is a mighty big buts, if there really is going to be a referendum like the one we

saw in scotland, on the future constitutional status of northern ireland, if people have to choose, simply come up for that they are in favour of the union, staying in the uk, or of irish unity, it will be very hard for people and that story that naomi long was told by her father, people in the middle of the votes, not to get run over. thank you for watching. cooler, fresher conditions are working their way south across the uk now this saturday. we saw have some of the very warm humid air hanging on at the moment, but low humidity, cooler air has done a good job of working south so far this saturday. 50 plenty of heat

by the south across the heart of europe, and the heatwave is set to possess, certainly for france, on through into the early part of next week. forthe through into the early part of next week. for the hotly admits the cool air, coming south, we have a weather front at the moment, and as you would expect, potentially the activity carried on to that is going to be thundery, as the show was from across england and east anglia through the evening. by the end of the net, b could have some really punchit the net, b could have some really punch it in. turning back and apart from the south coast and vertically down into the channel islands. still quite humid and muggy at the end of the night. elsewhere, bishop into the night. elsewhere, bishop into the cooler, fresher air, certainly, thatis the cooler, fresher air, certainly, that is far preferable for heading off to sleep. on sunday, we are not done, potentially, but some of the show was. they could have a resurgence into some southern counties, potentially some quite heavy and persistent rain, quite breezy along the south coast. the respect for scotland and northern ireland. isolated showers across

northern scotland. some of those shoppers to the south perhaps pumping up as far north as the southern midlands and east anglia for a time on sunday evening. but from under, it looks like it will be high pressure pushing across from the atlantic that will dominate the weather across the uk, kissing the showers further south into the continent. perhaps, just letting the weather front across northern most of scotland. but murk malcolm ran for the highlands, the grampians, orkney and shetland. for the majority, monday come dry day, some decent suntan, and temperatures creeping up. 20 in glasgow, 21 and 22 for cardiff and london. for the remainder of the become of this low is obvious to the south. that's how trite is best to put across the atlantic, and so it is that battle that we are watching play out in the days ahead. at the moment, it looks like fine weather will dominate, and as it does so, temperatures could pick up a little once again.

this is bbc news with the latest headlines for viewers in the uk and around the world. as their casulties continue to grow could ukraine be pressured to making concessions? the mayor of kyiv tells the bbc —— peace talks can wait. tens of thousands of people have marched in central london calling on the government to do more to help tackle the cost of living crisis.

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