Naomi Long has said spending time with Alliance candidates on the campaign trail was a greater priority than attending last weekend’s Ireland’s Future event in Belfast.
The Alliance leader pulled out of the SSE Arena event shortly after the general election was called. She is her party’s candidate in East Belfast where she is fighting what is expected to be a closely run contest against DUP leader Gavin Robinson.
Alliance North Belfast MLA Nuala McAllister went to the Ireland’s Future event instead of Mrs Long.
The Alliance leader was subsequently pictured on social media enjoying a ghost train ride in Portrush alongside her party’s East Derry Westminster candidate Richard Stewart.
When challenged on Radio Ulster’s Talkback about her decision not to attend the civic nationalism group’s event, she said her priority was touring the north with Alliance candidates ahead of the general election.
Mrs Long rejected the suggestion that her non-attendance was because she didn’t want t alienate prospective unionist voters in East Belfast.
“I think it’s hilarious the amount of traction that a photograph of the ghost train has managed to generate during an election campaign,” she said.
“As a party leader my time is at a premium. I have to do my tours of the constituencies and be with my candidates. The only opportunity to do that is on Saturdays I have three tours arranged over the next over the last three Saturdays.”