02/03/2013 Alliance Party Conference

And hello and welcome to the programmes. Today we have

highlights from a gathering of the Alliance Party including David

Ford's Aquino is speech. He will be taking to the podium at very

shortly. It has been a difficult few months for the party following

the decision at Belfast to only fly the Union flag on certain days. We

can see Naomi Long addressing the conference live. She has of course

faced a death threat. With me in studio is the political expert,

Professor Rick Wilford and at the La Mon Hotel for us, our political

editor, Mark Devenport. Give us a flavour of what has been happening

out there so far this morning will stop there was a dinner last night

and they have had a couple of interesting speakers so far? The

yes, they had a dinner last night and their guest was the Labour

business spokesmen and they have already heard from the Liberal

Democrat deputy leader Simon Hughes who introduced Naomi Long who is

speaking right now. Simon Hughes paid tribute to Naomi Long and how

she has handled the last few months and I would say the whole business

of the flag dispute and the intimidation of the attacks are has

not been hidden away in any way. It has been very much to the fore. The

party president paid tribute to those who had faced intimidation

and attacked in particular the two Unionist parties saying that the

pressure they had brought to bear had demonstrated unsuitability to

office. We have seen a whole series of references to that during the

course of the morning. At an emotional Maire Hendron who is one

of the Belfast City Council's who was involved in that decision to

fly the flag on designated days, she was one of the first because

this morning and she made an emotional speech and got a standing

ovation? Yes, both her and other Belfast city councillors were

defending their position and the two nationalist parties have been

looking for the removal of the slide and the Unionists have been

looking for it to be maintained at 3 and 65 days a year. The Alliance

Party have stuck to their decision despite pressure. They will be

hoping they will be able to move on to the electoral high-ground having

occupied the moral high ground in the last few months. That is a more

open question because we have yet to see an electoral test of what it

will do in some of those Unionist areas where they have previously

relied on support. What you think we can expect from David for it in

his keynote speech? I think we will be hearing more of the same, a

tribute to those who have been intimidated and also start defence

of the party's plan for a shared future. On that topic, let us turn

to one of the party's MLAs, Chris Lyttle. In East Belfast. What has

it been like for you in recent weeks? We have an exceptional team

in East Belfast so my colleagues Naomi Long, Judith Cochrane and I

have focused on getting on with our job and our staff has shown great

courage to get on with a job. attributes to those who faced

intimidation here but there is a hard edge question - will it pay

you electoral dividends or when you suffer? We're hearing from Naomi

Long, some would say she only one that's the because she was able to

gather support in loyalist areas and that now also disappear? I have

no doubt we take our support from across the community and we will

continue to do that. I have been an Alliance Party member since 2002

and this is the most encouraging conference. Given the electoral

maps, it is a predominantly Unionist seat. It is a cross-

community seat, to be honest. Naomi Long drew support from across the

Community and research all of the community. We have published a

shared future strategy and there is a huge amount of people who want to

see a political party that parrot houses building a shared future.

The last week has seen the formation of a new party, we have

yet to know its name but a Basil McCrea and John McAllister say they

will create this Unionist Party, are you concerned this might appear

to your supporters? In my opinion, the name of the party to build a

shared policies is the Alliance Party and I stick to that. We have

published our strategy, we want to go out and engage with people from

all backgrounds who we think one to see our ideas going forward. We

have over 70% of people who want to see integrated education, 44%

people supported our slide flying decision. We need to move on and

focus on the economy. As you come under more pressure, he would

consider going into opposition? two ministers in the Executive are

delivering a real change. I think we are affecting real change at

this moment in time. We have to leave it there for now. That is a

sense of what is going on here. Let us hear the views of my studio

guest, Professor Rick Wilford. We are waiting to hear what the party

leader has to say and we may hear a little of Naomi Long's comments in

a moment or two but first of all, it has been a difficult few months

for the Alliance Party on the flags issue so will there be a sense of

getting together to try to show a purposeful face to the public at

this? Absolutely, it has been a testing period for them and it will

continue to be a testing period because this issue is not flagging,

it is continuing. They will probably demonstrate that they have

been resolute and a united and they were defending their position on

designated days so that will feature, too, in what David Ford

has to say. There has been his attempt to put them in a Nutcracker

between the DUP and the UUP, trying to squeeze them and the longer term

strategy here is to try and iced Naomi Long from the seat so that

will figure in her speech. He is also going to celebrate, no doubt,

that is achievements both as hen as justice minister and that of his

colleague, Stephen Farry at employment and learning. We will

get some celebratory remarks. The centrepiece of his speech is likely

to be an attempt to apply it this particular fro they have consisted

with for so long and that is that it is time for Northern Ireland to

move away from a discreet, closed politics of identity, towards

recognition. It is a cross- community party and design to be

inclusive. It respects differences but it does not celebrate them to

the point where it simply becomes an either or politics in Northern

Ireland and that is why for every one document, this will be a

centrepiece on what he has to talk about today. Mark Devenport touched

on this matter of the new Unionist Party, that is something we might

explore because it is intriguing. Is it possible that that party

established by Basil McCrea and John McAllister, might begin to eat

into natural Alliance Party territory? David Ford was asked

about this and he said it was not possible to be a Liberal Unionist.

In his world, you're not a liberal. I don't buy that distinction, you

can be a liberal unionist. Liberalism means openness and

respect for difference. That is not a contradiction in terms. But

whether it will constitute a challenge is another matter. It is

small, the other party that has no name, it is imperfectly formed both

stop there was a document produced by Basil McCrea and John McAllister

earlier in the week but there was no detailed and I think they

probably have jumped too soon in the sense that they have not got a

considers platform or even a label under which to canvas and Campion.

It is very difficult to see that if Alliance has captured not so much

the centre ground in Northern Ireland politics but maybe for what

liberal-minded people is common ground, it will be difficult for

Basil McCrae and John McAllister to nudge into that territory. What I

thought was fascinating was that David Ford seemed to be suggesting

that people who are members of the Alliance Party and people who vote

for the Alliance Party are neither Unionist nor a nationalist, they

would suggest that they are neither but is it THAT there must be people

in that party who are comfortable to be Unionists and comfortable to

be nationalists? Absolutely, it has always prided itself on its ability

to transcend differences so there are bound to be people who are

nationalists and Unionists and also from the senses we know there is a

significant proportion of people in Northern Ireland who define

themselves as Northern Irish, they do not define themselves as either

unionist or nationalist and that growing number of people is clearly

an national target for the Alliance Party. It will be something of a

target for Basil McCrea and John McAllister also but when push comes

to shove, there are going to beat people in the Alliance Party who

will vote one way or the other four a border poll. Some people were

saying it is the weakness of the Alliance Party, it is neither fish

nor fowl but in fact on that issue, people in the Alliance Party will

bought one way or the other but it seems to be able to contain both.

We will hear more from you throughout the rest of the

programmes. Let's cross now to the conference hall where Naomi Long is

just finishing her address to the conference. The leader of the

Alliance Party, David Ford, should be about to make his keynote

address. He has been introduced by his deputy. He is asking for people

to take their seats and as soon as he steps up, we will hear what he

says. Thank you for your introduction and

for what you do representing as in Westminster. You could have had no

finer tribute than from Simon Hughes as someone who was in

Westminster for 27 years. Can I welcome you all to the

conference this morning. Welcome to those of you who suffered the

intimidation, the threats and the attacks of recent weeks, because

you have done what is right. Welcome and thank you to Naomi,

Michael, Judith and the East Belfast team. Welcome to the

Carrickfergus team who have also suffered significantly. And to the

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 51 seconds

Welcome to all of you who have been Reception area. These last three

months have certainly been a tough time for the alliance but I'm

absolutely sure that will be the stronger for it. Literally, we have

come through fire and not been found wanting. That strength is

recognised by the media and the number of commentators who are not

generally sympathetic. Are growing strength has been recognised by the

other parties. On I first became party leader what they used to call

the four main parties largely ignored us. Conference, they don't

ignore us now. So why did the DUP and the UUP deliver all those late

at an East Belfast targeting Naomi Long over the flag issue. She isn't

a councillor any longer. She isn't a councillor any longer because she

took East Belfast in the Westminster election, with the

largest swing in any constituency in the United Kingdom. That is why

Why did the DUP denied that there were responsible? When we put out

leaflets we always put the imprint published by Alliance because we're

not ashamed. Clearly the DUP was utterly ashamed of its actions. So

we shame that an elected DUP councillor claimed he worked for a

delivery company when he was caught on. So when Unionist politicians

say that those who raised the flags issued me to accept the

responsibility for what followed, they are right. They need to accept

their responsibility for what they did. They need to recognise what

happens when you stir up tension in a divided society and would you

cannot even bring herself to call for an end to end legal actions

without ambiguity. I believe that the past few months have taught us

a lot but those of us who are capable of learning will be able to

learn from them. We have learnt about this party, its strength and

resilience, its unity of purpose and that support for those of us

under attack. We have learnt about Northern Ireland, where we are as a

community and where we need to be. How fragile the rule of law can be.

We have seen the differences this - - between how our political parties

look at the future, and particularly a shared future. In

many respects, Northern Ireland is at an impasse with the DUP and Sinn

Fein avoiding the difficult issues, avoiding the difficult issue that

was the single quality build, slow progress on the RPA and ESA, no

sign of progress on parades or a language is built. India simply

failing to follow through and deliver. Worst of all, they had

made no progress from reaching agreement about a shared future.

And this must be the most pressing issue for Northern Ireland at this

time. Contrast the feeling nature of the executive, and look at what

can be achieved. And it was a real pleasure when Stephen Farry joined

me to sit beside me at the executive table. If nothing else

immense I could at least turn one way or pleasant conversation during

the meeting. Would any other minister of employment and learning

other than Stephen by a terse reducing barriers to labour

mobility as assured future issue? Would anybody else begin Treacher

training and toppled all the other work he has to do, on

apprenticeships come on skills for those with less qualifications?

Those are real issues that need to be addressed. It is the same and

the Department of Justice will be a reforming prisons, improving access

to justice, tackling legal aid and delivering the resources to police

service needs. Our committee safety strategy is distinctively Alliance,

about building safer shared confident communities. We have a

realistic targets to remove interface structures and we're

working on it, engaging with local people and we have seen real

progress in a number of areas, especially in North Belfast. We are

being held back socially, being denied the share future the people

deserve due to deadlock between Unionists and nationalists. The

five party working group on a shared future seemed destined to

produce a report that was merely and the lowest common denominator

between Unionism and nationalism. In the end, it didn't even achieve

that. After Chris Whittle withdrew, it merely register deadlock, leaked

paper showed that the group that failed to make any progress on key

issues such as flags and parades and dealing with the past. Let's

look at the flags issue as an example of how alliance than

Stephanie. Here was the perfect opportunity to deliver change. To

characterise and develop Belfast as a city of diversity were different

identities are respected and cherished. On opportunity that has

existed for years. We first proposed designated days a decade

ago. Sinn Fein and the SDLP approach the issue without any

regard for those who cherish the Unionist identity. The timing and a

Freeman of the debates was a we win, you use argument was that their

choosing. What of the Unionist parties? What was their motivation?

Compare Belfast with Lisburn, with Craigavon, Ballymoney were Unionist

dominated councils fly the Union flag on designated days. In Belfast,

there was a deliberate premeditated campaign to with attentions, to

generate fears of a loss of identity among those who perceive

themselves as having little left to give and to go after the Alliance

party and its elected representatives, especially to go

after Naomi Long he wasn't even involved and the debate just to win

votes. That is the long and short of that. All this has been about

winning votes in East Belfast. I don't agree with the decision by

Billy Hutchinson took the post designated days. But I do agree

with this description of the Unionist Party's handling of the

issue as a project, because it was a project to damage the alliance.

Is it any wonder that the parties of Unionism and nationalism have

reached stalemate in the working group? Two weeks ago I wrote to the

First Minister proposing a new approach that I believed could see

an effective shared future strategy. It is clear that the current

process involving parties only has stalled. Of the First Minister and

Deputy First Minister have managed to restart it, our fear is that it

would either end in deadlock or in an agreed strategy that avoids the

most difficult issues. That is why we have proposed a different

approach, one that is more open and inclusive but we believe will make

sure that the big issues are no longer docked. We have birds that

First Minister and Deputy First Minister to open up a share future

reference group with the political parties been joined by a

representatives of civic society. The responses at the first

ministers' attempts at this shared future strategy shows the level of

expertise that exist in our community. We need to use their

expertise to get it right. We cannot afford not to get it right.

I asked the First and Deputy First Minister has to publish the draft

strategy for a new shirt future reference group, to take evidence

from the public. It would make recommendations by June of this

year and the First Minister and Deputy First Minister would bring a

final strategy to do it executive after the summer. After 18 months

of private discussions the party's only approach had simply failed.

Given the importance of this issue, we believe the public has a right

to voice their opinion on the record in an open forum and the

response to my suggestion? And an accurate representation of this is

abdicating the responsibility of elected politicians and handed over

the process to outsiders. They couldn't see that a partnership

approach could actually help make progress, or maybe they could and

feared it. 19 years since the ceasefires, 15 years since the Good

Friday Agreement and after 10 years of devolved government no effective

strategy to move or community be on the ending of violence has been

produced. We simply have to get on with it. Let's remember, as if we

could ever forget, what has been happening on the streets recently.

Is there any clear demonstration of the need to build a shared future

for all citizens? The lives and livelihoods of so many are being

disrupted by minority. A minority hell bent on causing destruction

without any thought to the effects of their actions. Yet again, the

problems of the society are being played it on the streets and

putting enormous pressure on the police service. In my position I am

not going to second guess the difficult decisions that

operational commanders have to take in response to street disorder. I

know that there will be support in this hall and across the Community

for resolute action against those who continue to disrupt society,

including the resolute action being taken against those who have been

organising illegal street protests. I sincerely hope that those who

have taken part in a legal protest will recognise the damage they're

doing and call of those protests. If they don't, I hope there will be

united political boys supporting the PSNI as the deal those protests.

A united voice supporting the rule of lot, not the weasel words we

heard from Unionists. A united voice, not the complaints we hear

from nationalist try to put pressure on the police, including

talk yesterday political policing. There ought to be a united voice

supporting the rule of law from every party, but somehow I doubt it

because too many politicians and the society are unprepared to

support the pleas of it means confronting their own supporters.

Alliance politicians don't they can choose. We don't decide which was

toppled, which police action to support depending on whether they

are perceived to be for our side with the other side. Alliance has

always stood for the rule of law Of course, differences between

Unionists and nationalists on policing are mirrored by their

views and a shared future. The union this to mean some kind of

society where everyone is supposed to field Unionist, to accept what

Peter Robinson called the settle status quo with the Union flag

flies ever were 265 busy year with the Irish language received no

official recognition, with the terms the Queen's highway is

allowed to excludes a whole section of society. Or the Parades

Commission he supported only when it takes the right decisions for

Unionists. For nationalist a shared future seems to be at version of

Sheard parity of esteem. Were the public demand for integrated

education goes unheeded. Where are elected representatives will

forever have to be designated to turn out whether there us with them.

Or playgrounds convenient that to terrorists because it is only

national as children who play and then. For both sides it means deals

such as those Rusol over the barracks site, supported by both

the Unionist parties and the nationalist parties or

opportunities to radically develop integration was sacrificed on the

culture of one for my side, one for you aside politics. The very nature

of the politics that those parties espouse depends upon the

continuation of this kind of politics. They rely on the oldest -

- bit old -- the old traditions. They focus on proceeds threats to

their identity and culture. After 10 years of devolution we have to

accept that many communities haven't seen the progress that they

deserve. Too many kids are not doing well enough at school, too

few job opportunities. Is it any wonder the DUP and Sinn Fein rely

on sham fights to draw attention away from their failure to deliver

a effectively on the big issues that would really make addition --

make a difference to people's everyday lives? It seems to make --

it seems to sit unionism better to focus on flags rather than focus on

the fact that their children are leaving school without the

qualifications they need? For nationalists, maybe it is better to

think about a boarder Paul but will not realistically happen with the

foreseeable future rather than focusing on the fact that 43 % of

children going up and West Belfast are in poverty. Mike Nesbitt will

probably insist that by misrepresenting his party and

politics. He likes to portray himself as a moderate, yet he leads

He insisted that people always have and class and that people always

will be ancient green. This was a man who was elected leader because

of his ability to communicate a purpose for the UUP. From what I

have seen over the years, Mike Nesbitt has much experience from an

autocue but it is Peter Robinson he is writing his script! No doubt

there are those on board sides they will reject this description of

them, they see themselves as moderate Unionists or moderate

nationalists or even liberal versions. But I say to them, as

long as you are part of the problem, the problem will continue. To MLAs

are in the process of setting up another Unionist Party. I

acknowledge it is an attempt to move Unionism for it but it will

achieve nothing. Change will only happen when we build a strong

radical centre-ground in total contrast to both Unionism and

nationalism. Otherwise it seems this society goes on locked in this

old politics were either nothing happens for fear that one side will

get more than the other or a little it happens but only on the basis of

one for you, one for me. The old politics, the politics of the past

is like a millstone around the neck of the political system, holding us

back, preventing us from developing a politics are today and holding us

back from the future we want to create. To many of our politicians

allow the shadow of that past to present themselves from moving

forward, always holding on to the perceived security that comes from

the old labels. Only this party has been brave enough and bold enough

to make the leap, to free itself of that old politics to focus purely

on how to unite our committee through different politics. For

years, our politics was frozen as attempt after attempt to break the

deadlock over institutions that would bring an end to violence. 15

years after that deadlock was broken on Good Friday, we find

ourselves in a different deadlock, a political stalemate within the

institutions holding us back from the future that a committee

deserves. With the constitutional question effectively settled for

now by the agreement, this should have been a moment for maximum

transformation, an opportunity to take dramatic steps forward towards

a future that is very different from the past. To use the end of

violence to allow committees to be integrated. As recently written on

an Ulster Unionist blog, promises of new beginnings and dedicated to

the achievement of Torrance and Jenny Dawe Trust, all signed in a

spurt of Concorde, binding commitments were given, not only to

purely democratic and peaceful means but to oppose any use or

threat of force by others for any political purpose. Every signatory

pledged to work to ensure the success of each and every one of

the arrangements and signed up to complex but clear constitutional

arrangements. Yet despite this, the Executive so far has utterly failed

to face the need to make real progress towards a shared society

in which sectarianism, fear and threat along only in the past.

Politicians have worked to find a political settlement that allows

Northern Ireland to be governed but they feel to use it to prioritise

the building of a genuinely shared society. The longer we fail to do

so, the more our talk of building an economy becomes unrealistic and

delusional. The last few weeks events had shown that it can be put

off no longer. This is the challenge for us in the Alliance

Party this year he. To work to break this new form of deadlock,

the deadlock in which we will be stuck as long as the old politics

dominates, for all of us in public life who want a better, different

shared future for our community, the challenge is to break the

dominance of that and move to a new politics. We will not waste the

opportunities that have been given to us so we have to put ideas

forward the the people to see clearly and unambiguously. That is

why two years ago for the Assembly election, we published a manifesto,

probably the most comprehensive for a Northern Ireland election. A few

weeks ago, we published for everyone, we have set out policies

for every department that will help us build a shared future for all

our people. We went to see a shares and into go society, free from

intimidation and discrimination and fear, or every member is safe, has

Upper sureties to contribute and to participate, is treated fairly and

with respect, a civic society underpinned by the shared values of

equality, respect for diversity and a celebration of our

interdependence. For everyone sets out practical policies to deliver

that. I am a firm supporter of integrated education. We're not

suggesting it is the solution to all our problems but it is part of

the solution. Critics accuse of us of social engineering, pushing

children together against their parents will and the truth,

revealed this week in a poll in the Belfast Telegraph, a 79% of the

population would like to see their children at's school becoming

integrated. At school for everyone in the local community. The target

we have set of 20% of children in integrated schools by 2020 is

reasonable, practical and in line with the wishes of the large

majority. The problem of flags and parades are being played out on the

streets with serious effects on all of us yet they are just sentence of

what goes deeper so we have set out how we can make sure that all

public space is for all. Let us nail the lie before unionists

repeated any more, the Alliance Party respects everybody's right to

fly flags but nobody has the right to use flagpoles -- lamp-posts like

a dog barking out territory. Up -- at dog marking out his territory.

So we will work only make sure that planning policies take account of

shared future considerations and we set realistic targets and engage

with local communities to build the confidence that will see barriers

come down. The Executive has to recognise that the shared housing

strategy is now essential so we can meet real housing needs without

continuing segregation of. When his party was founded, the challenge

was their employment. The challenge for this generation is to build on

that achievement and build a shared future in every respect. We will

also press both governments to accept their role alongside other

parties in finding an inclusive way of dealing with the issues of the

past, not one that is with a few people but a comprehensive system

for everyone. Too often we have seen short-term decisions

satisfying one need at a time rather than dealing with problems

at a way that bills are long-term shared future. Make no mistake,

this is not Alliance wish-list as some people have claimed, this is

vitally important in our society is to prosper economically and

maximise our chances of investment as the UK emerges from the

recession. We will not attract the investment we need with local or

external unless we are seen to be creating conditions have shared

future that will allow us to maximise our economic opportunities.

The challenge for this generation, for the lifetime of the youngest

person in this room, is to break out of that cycle of short-term

actions, to find a way to break the stranglehold that the old politics

still has over this community's future, to fight a new political

battle, not the ancient and outdated Battle of Unionists purses

nationalists, between old politics and a new politics. Between a zero

sum politics and when when the politics. Between politics for our

side and politics for everyone. Let us be clear, Alliance is the force

by which we will do so, only a Mayans occupies the Shared Ground

where we will have to build a shared future. -- alliance.

Remember what President Kennedy said in the early 1960s about the

Apollo space programme, which used to do these things in this decade

not because they are easy but because they are hard. That goal

will serve to organise and measured the best of our energies and skills.

The challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are

unwilling to postpone and one which we intend to win. With an alliance,

we're the party that is clear about our committee's future and what it

could and should look like and how that could be achieved. We are the

party that is very clear about where our priority lies, but the

biggest single challenge facing our committee and its Executive is the

challenge of creating a genuinely shared future. We are the party

that is utterly committed to overcoming that challenge and

bridging the deadlock of the old politics. While other parties

continue to pursue old political agendas, generating and sustaining

stagnation and deadlock when in the face of that deadlock they retreat

back to their familiar obsession with identity and the constitution,

there will be no retreat by alliance. Let me remind you of

another statement of Hope by President Kennedy's Robert.

Speaking in set Africa, he said this - each time a man stands up

for an ideal or axe to improve a lot of others or strikes Out

Against injustice, he sense for a tiny ripple of hope and crossing

each other from a million different centres of energy and daring, those

reports build at current that could sweep down the mightiest walls of

oppression and resistance. Alliance has come through the fire of recent

years, we have come through a particular fire in recent weeks, we

have been tested and we have not failed. In Northern Ireland, we are

at the change, that change that Robert Kennedy spoke of. We can

break down those walls, everyone of us is one of those ripples of which

he spoke. Youth and old members together, all our actions combine

to make waves that will sweep away those walls of prejudice and

intolerance. The momentum or continue to build, our movement for

change will grow at whatever is thrown at us, metaphorically and

literally, we will work relentlessly, we will strive for

change, we will lead changed and we will deliver change for the society.

We will create a new and better Northern Ireland based on a new and

better kind of politics. Our politics for everyone.

David Ford getting a standing ovation for his speech. I make it

about 31 minutes that he spoke for. That is his wife giving him a hug.

Stuart Dickson, Judith Cochrane from East Belfast. He makes his way

through the hall and I suppose it is no great surprise that he should

get enthusiastic response like this. He did not really pull any punches,

he was determined he was going to make that point that the Austrians

and Sinn Fein represent the past. He had a significant pop at Mike

Nesbitt. I don't know if you recall his speech, he was very backward

looking, very little that was progressive. David is basically

saying, the party has weathered the storm, we have been buffeted by

waves from within the Unionist parties so I suppose is no surprise

that he paid particular attention but in that respect there was

something of an unbalanced there because he named Peter Robinson and

Mike Nesbitt and even Billy Hutchison. There was no naming a

any nationalist politicians. don't think he mentioned the SDLP

at all. Only in passing. One probably needs to read into that

that this was an assault on the other major parties because they

are entrenched in either or policies and that really he was

saying, this is the party that will bridge the divisions so it can be

no surprise per instance that he picked out the Belfast Telegraph

poll this week that showed that four out of five adults are in

favour of integrated education. In that respect, the party is running

We will talk about shirt future again in a moment. He took a tough

line on the flags issue. He was crystal-clear. He reiterated today

that everything that happens as far as the Alliance party was treated

by other parties, particularly the DUP, was about targeting Naomi Long

to get that seed back for the DUP. That is the key motive, to unsteady

her, to unsettle the electorate. I am surprised that he didn't refer

to the Lib Dems holding their seed any sleep. They had a party that

was being assaulted from the left than the right, yet with good

organisation they held the seat. It may well be that if they have got

good organisation underground and East Belfast she can hold onto the

seat. Bets go back to the conference hall and hear from Mark

Devenport. You have a couple of guests. What did you make up what

David Ford had to say? The I thought it was a confident and

fairly logical speech in terms of his line of argument. He was going

to take That's Union flag dispute and they were built on that. In

terms of actual name checks, it was clear that most of his criticism

was directed at the Unionists. He did direct some you -- he did

direct some criticism at nationalists, Senedd Sidhu halt

they had no regard for the Ulster Unionists cherishing their own

identity. There was no name to assaults. The rhetoric was all

about Peter Robinson, Mike Nesbitt and so on. That probably has been

because whilst alliance would see themselves as being different from

both sides, the battlegrounds has been in areas like East Belfast,

Carrickfergus, in the Unionist areas or alliance was making such

large advances. Still, he you going to sample

opinion from? We have got one guest for you, but we are promised

another. This might be one of these bits of life TV or you see people

charging on on air. We will have Naomi Long in a minute, but here is

Stephen Farry. What did you think of what's was being said, whilst

there was criticism of other parties and how they went about it,

your main argument seems to be with the Unionists? Our main argument is

about building a shared future for everyone. There has been an attack

upon the party, a very personalised attack on Naomi Long. What we were

doing today and what David was setting out was a vision for the

future of Northern Ireland's. Talking about hope, aspiration,

giving young people a stake in the society. Integrated education,

shared space are the keys to delivering that. No doubt the

Unionists would say, they were various parts to this dispute in

Belfast and Sinn Fein had been pushed under what they had done the

Unionists would not have responded. The alliance seems to be pitched

all the criticism on the Unionists. What happened at Belfast City Hall

was a compromise from the alliance. We took what was a very balanced

measured approach in the interests of the entire community. The two

nationalist parties have the chance to buy into that kind of approach.

Unionist did not have that vision. They were shooting from the

trenches and got into a very destructive cycle. We are still

dealing with the consequences of that. Will come back to how you're

trying to the press with their shared future. Naomi Long has just

joined us. What did you make of your leader's speech? He had to

tackle the flags dispute, didn't he? We had no alternative to day

but to do that. I don't think his speech was even predominantly about

the flights dispute. A figure was about the exposure of that dispute

at the deep sectarian divisions that exist in our society and about

our response so bad in terms of wanting to build a more stable

society going forward. Unless we build that shared future we will

continue to go along this road with huge risk attached everything that

we do. We need to start getting the groundwork done out in order that

we don't hit another bomb than the road in six months' time. I don't

think that is fair on the family's thumb on the businesses and that is

not fair on the people who have fought for the future. Opposite

there have been developments. We do want to get into the business of

charges in the courts and so one cannot but it seems that there has

been more of a police crackdown. How is life for yourself, have been

settled down or is it still a constant threats? The threat hasn't

been removed so why have to live my life as if that threat is a live

issue. I have to be careful with my personal security. But is not what

drives me to get out of bed and the morning. That is building the

shared future. I am there to represent everyone in our community.

I was elected to do that in the full knowledge that Northern

Ireland politics can be very bruising. It doesn't make it

acceptable, but I understand that the Saudis. Things are not

completely died down, but at the same time we're try to find ways of

being resilient in terms of our practices so we continue to deliver

the service that my constituents deserve. The question that is still

out there is whether alliance can retain the East Belfast seed in the

future. You did enjoy a series of events, you got support within

loyalist areas, there was a backlash against Peter Robinson. Do

you think when you take out all the business of the morality of this,

is the electoral fact that there will be hard to retain its come the

next election? I was asked difficult questions in the run-up

to the last election about how alliance could win that seat. The

night duty is to represent my constituents in the capacity that I

have. It is to do that to the best of my ability. My election or not

that the next elections is a matter for my constituents. That is not

something that I can influence other than by my own hard work

about the work that the party does and by continuing to show integrity.

I will not get into the analysis of If decision in the City Hall good

effect things. The same people you're crying that the Alliance

party was going to be wiped out nowt said you're going to be wiped

out then. I ignore or those people and get on with doing my job.

Little Democrats introduced Naomi Long around employment tax. There

are a wide range of thing so we can do for our economy. But we don't

get Corporation Tax there are a lot of things that we can do. Building

a shared future is itself important to the economy. A law level of

corporation tax could make a big difference. That bike goes on. The

executive was not given up on not that gelled -- the executive has

not given up on that challenge and we will continue to lobby. We will

keep pushing. Stephen Farry, Naomi Long, banks are much for joining us.

There we must leave it. Thank you. The deputy leader of the

Liberal-Democrats, Simon Hughes, addressed a conference earlier

today. He praised Naomi Long for holding the line during a very

difficult time. Mark Devenport got up with them earlier this morning.

It has been very fraught for the Alliance party and we have felt for

Naomi Long. She has kept us fully informed. She has gone to a

terrible time, not just her better offers staff and colleagues. We are

grateful that her colleagues have been brave enough to hold the line.

And during the Ian Bell will be vindicated. My Member -- my message

to the wider audience in Northern Ireland if you don't win the

arguments by throwing stones. You win arguments by discussion. Of the

war audience probably wouldn't be aware of it, you have a personal

sense of what she has gone through because some years ago you got

involved in a gangland murder case and you were under death threats.

It is a hard road to travel, isn't it? You're right. I give evidence

in and encouraged other people to give evidence in a murder trial. I

knew it was the right thing to do. You have to make this political

judgments and they know how difficult the politics of Northern

Ireland has been. The rest of Britain are willing Northern

Ireland to come to the set of future that everybody would give

the potential to this country. Everybody understands that we have

the GAA it coming so it is a great shop window. We had the UK City of

Culture in Northern Ireland's here for the first time. The future is

really dudes, but it's requires double to show the best face of

Northern Ireland. Isn't that the case that the Liberal-Democrat have

been very hands-off when it comes to Northern Ireland. I don't think

that's the case. We have kept very strong links. We are in regular

discussion with John Aldred eyes, Naomi Long. She didn't sit in your

garden Westminster. She chose understandably that she retained

her independence as an opposition MP. The coalition deal was between

the Conservative Party and the Liberal Democrats. There was no

necessity for her to join us. We do take their regular interest.

Stephen Lloyd ISTAR spokesperson on Northern Ireland. The one to make

sure that the Government is seen to be on the side of Northern

Ireland's every day. Be the interests of open as I should

disclose that you used to be my landlord, so you can confirm that I

am a good tenants. I will write you a reference if you need it! Thank

you very much. Mark Devenport introducing his

former landlord, there! Rick, it is amazing what these programmes can

throw up. Let's go back to David Ford's speech. Again, and attack

and the other parties, particularly Sinn Fein about the

misrepresentation office plans for civic involvement in trying to move

the process forward daughter shared future. Again, a very clear message

that he was sending out about the way in which he things other

politicians are having a go at the alliance. Indeed. He was castigated

for trying to delegate responsibility. We know that both

Sinn Fein and the DUP have done nothing to try... What the Alliance

party has been suggesting is that they need to re-engage,

particularly at the time when a lot of the electorate is not bothering

to turn out and vote. There is a real need to engage with civic

society. One way to do would be to try and embrace a shared future

strategy. Partnership is the big word for David Ford, isn't it?

Kiddies. Not just a set of partnerships within the executive,

will have -- but between the executive and the assembly. I think

he has at principal point about engaging in society. There is this

abortion amendment which will be a big issue for David Ford as the

Justice Minister. This is the attempt to add and a member to the

Criminal Justice Bill which is a very complicated piece of

legislation. There is this very late attempt to graft this on to

the bill. He is opposed to it because it is such an important

bill. Will be interesting to see if Sinn Fein supporter petition of