Alliance Councillor Michael Long has said Belfast City Council needs to embrace equality in allocating the post of High Sheriff of Belfast.
Councillor Long was speaking after Alliance Councillor Carole Howard failed to be elected to the post of High Sheriff, which is the judicial representative of Her Majesty the Queen in Belfast.
Councillor Long said: “The post of High Sheriff should be representative of the people of Belfast, but over the past 16 years only members of the unionist parties have held this post. If the d’Hondt mechanism were used Alliance would be entitled to hold this post twice during this term. I am extremely disappointed and unhappy that yet again unionist councillors have not shown a commitment to the principles of equality and inclusivity. For a post representing Her Majesty to be monopolised by one section of the political community is a sad reflection on the commitment of unionist councillors to an inclusive city.”
Councillor Howard received 8 votes while DUP Councillor Tom Haire received 22 votes. There were 25 abstentions.