Naomi Long MP said, “I made a commitment during my Westminster campaign that I would stand down from the Assembly if elected to Westminster and I honoured it within weeks of being elected; however, despite pre-election commitments made by other parties, Alliance is the only party to have ended dual mandates between Westminster and the Assembly. Currently, half of Northern Ireland MPs are also MLAs, including two Executive Ministers.
“The members of the Committee on Standards in Public Life have again raised questions about the level of representation which one person can deliver in two full-time legislatures, concerns which I would share. In addition, I believe that ending double jobbing also creates opportunities for new, talented representatives to come through to make a contribution both within the party and their community.
“The Secretary of State has previously indicated that he intends to legislate to bring the situation to an end and, given the obvious reluctance of other local parties to address the issue, I think that he should do so as soon as possible.”
ENDS