Mrs Long has written to Prime Minister Keir Starmer to call on him to renew his Government’s focus on ensuring local people are not left without a functioning parliament again. It follows her letters to the incoming Taoiseach and Tánaiste in the South, urging them to make reform of the institutions here a high priority for their new government.
“We are rapidly approaching the one-year anniversary of the Assembly and Executive being restored, and that is certainly welcome,” she said.
“However, there is no doubt the institutions remain as precariously balanced as ever, only ever one party’s decision away from collapsing again. The case for delivering reform so that cannot happen and doing so now is irrefutable. The Good Friday Agreement should have always been viewed as a foundation on which to build, but more than 25 years later, it needs to evolve to fully reflect the diversity and progress of our society.
“Ransom politics continues to have a lasting impact on our society, even with functional government. I told the Prime Minister the UK Government has a unique opportunity to secure the future of power-sharing here by renewing its focus on on introducing crucial reforms.
“In the letter I stated, similar as I said to the incoming Taoiseach, with new Governments in place on both sides of the Irish Sea, and a functioning Assembly and Executive at Stormont, we have a crucial window of opportunity to reopen a serious dialogue with both about reform, away from the pressure of looming elections or amidst a crisis.
“It’s crucial we do that.”