Final Northern Ireland leaders’ debate to start soon – follow livepublished at 20:53
Chris Page
Ireland correspondent
Under the lights and behind the lecterns, five leading
politicians are taking part in the last big TV event of this campaign in
Northern Ireland.
They are vying for votes across 18 constituencies, where around 1.4m people are eligible to vote.
Although this is an election to the UK Parliament, voters
in this part of the UK will take into account what the parties are doing in the
devolved assembly in Belfast.
Four out of the five parties represented in tonight’s debate
are in the power-sharing coalition at Stormont – Sinn Féin, the Democratic Unionist Party,
the Alliance Party, and the Ulster Unionist Party. The nationalist SDLP leads the opposition.
Unusually, two party leaders are standing against each other
in this election.
In Belfast East, the DUP’s Gavin Robinson is defending his
seat against Naomi Long, of the Alliance Party, which defines itself as
neither unionist nor nationalist.
We may get a sense of this pivotal election battleground as
both take part in the debate tonight.
The issues which could feature include the constitutional
future of Northern Ireland, and funding for public services.
While the likes of healthcare and education are largely run
from Stormont – the total budget allocated to the devolved government is
decided in London.
Abhinav Thawait is a globe-trotting correspondent with a passion for international affairs. With a background in international relations, he offers a global perspective on the most pressing issues around the world. Abhinav’s curiosity takes his to the far corners of the earth, where he seeks to share untold stories and diverse viewpoints.
