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| Several in Alliance Party could be new leader says David Ford | Several in Alliance Party could be new leader says David Ford |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| David Ford has said there are several people within the Alliance Party who could succeed him as leader. | David Ford has said there are several people within the Alliance Party who could succeed him as leader. |
| Addressing the annual party conference in Belfast on Saturday, he praised the work of his deputy, Naomi Long. | Addressing the annual party conference in Belfast on Saturday, he praised the work of his deputy, Naomi Long. |
| He also highlighted the important roles played by Judith Cochrane, Anna Lo and Kieran McCarthy who will not run in the May elections. | He also highlighted the important roles played by Judith Cochrane, Anna Lo and Kieran McCarthy who will not run in the May elections. |
| Mr Ford will not put his name forward to be justice minister after the Assembly elections in May. | Mr Ford will not put his name forward to be justice minister after the Assembly elections in May. |
| The Alliance Party leader had held the post since policing and justice powers were devolved to Stormont in 2010. | The Alliance Party leader had held the post since policing and justice powers were devolved to Stormont in 2010. |
| He intends to run for re-election as an MLA. | He intends to run for re-election as an MLA. |
| In his address to the party on Saturday, he thanked Ms Long for all her work as the party's "lone voice in the House of Commons" . | In his address to the party on Saturday, he thanked Ms Long for all her work as the party's "lone voice in the House of Commons" . |
| She may no longer be MP for east Belfast, but she had made a difference, he said. | She may no longer be MP for east Belfast, but she had made a difference, he said. |
| "After the flag protests, the insults, the threats, the violence, Naomi added 4,000 votes to what we were told was the high water mark of 2010," he said. | "After the flag protests, the insults, the threats, the violence, Naomi added 4,000 votes to what we were told was the high water mark of 2010," he said. |
| "Only a cynical five-party pact between parties which have been tearing lumps off each other ever since polling day, managed to scrabble together enough votes to unseat Naomi - and even then they couldn't manage to get 50% in a supposedly unionist seat like East Belfast." | "Only a cynical five-party pact between parties which have been tearing lumps off each other ever since polling day, managed to scrabble together enough votes to unseat Naomi - and even then they couldn't manage to get 50% in a supposedly unionist seat like East Belfast." |
| He also praised the hard work of party colleague, Employment and Learning Minister Stephen Farry. | He also praised the hard work of party colleague, Employment and Learning Minister Stephen Farry. |
| In his speech, Mr Ford said that the government had a duty to fund the issues of the past. There can be no excuse for not doing so, he said. | |
| He said Alliance was "the only party working for everyone" and that it was "determined to build a united community and transform this society". |