Alliance Leader Naomi Long MEP has wished Theresa May well after she stepped down as Prime Minister but warned her legacy could be the damage done by any Brexit.

She was speaking after Theresa May officially resigned as Prime Minister, to be replaced by Boris Johnson.

“On a personal level, I always found Theresa May courteous and dignified all of our meetings, attributes which she also demonstrated more widely as Prime Minister. Her sense of duty, her commitment to public service and her resilience were admirable and clear for all to see, and I wish her well in future,” said Mrs Long.

“However, as Prime Minister she maintained a course which may still lead the UK towards Brexit, which would be damaging for everyone but particularly us here in Northern Ireland. Her swiftness to trigger Article 50 before having a coherent plan created more problems than it solved.

“There is no doubting she took on a difficult job but it can also not be argued she made things more difficult for herself by continually presenting mutually contradictory redlines on Brexit, particularly relating to Northern Ireland and the border.

“Her replacement, despite remaining seemingly firmly in denial of the facts, will be facing exactly the same challenges as Theresa May did.”