Michael Long (Northern Ireland politician)

Michael Andrew Long is a Northern Irish politician who served as the 80th Lord Mayor of Belfast from 9 May 2022 to 1 June 2022, finishing the remaining three weeks of Kate Nicholl's term after she was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly in May 2022.[1] He is married to leader of the Alliance Party and MLA for Belfast East Naomi Long.

The Right Honourable Cllr
Michael Long
Long in 2010
80th Lord Mayor of Belfast
In office
9 May 2022[1] – 1 June 2022
DeputyTom Haire
Preceded byKate Nicholl
Succeeded byTina Black[2]
121st High Sheriff of Belfast
In office
2 February 2021 – 2 February 2022
Preceded byNicola Verner
Succeeded byJohn Hussey
Member of
Belfast City Council
Assumed office
22 May 2014[3]
Preceded byConstituency created
ConstituencyLisnasharragh
Member of
Castlereagh Borough Council
In office
7 June 2001 – 2014
Preceded byPatrick Mitchell
Succeeded byConstituency abolished
ConstituencyCastlereagh Central
Personal details
BornKingston, Ontario, Canada[4]
Political partyAlliance
Spouse
​
(m. 1995)​
[5]
Parent(s)Adrian Long
Elaine Long
OccupationPolitician

Early life and education

Michael Long was born in Kingston, Ontario in Canada to mother Elaine and father Adrian.[4]

Political career

Member of Belfast City Council (2014-)

In May 2014, Long was elected to Belfast City Council to represent the constituency of Lisnasharragh.[6] Long would become the leader of Alliance in Belfast City Council.

Lord Mayor of Belfast (2022)

In May 2022, incumbent Lord Mayor of Belfast Kate Nicholl was elected as an Alliance MLA for Belfast South. Her term was due to end on 1 June but was cut short due to rules prohibiting double-jobbing[7] that forbid her from remaining as Lord Mayor of Belfast after being elected to the Assembly.[8]

Michael Long was installed as the 80th Lord Mayor of Belfast on 9 May 2022 to serve the remaining three weeks in Nicholl's term. Long's three-week tenure made him the shortest serving Lord Mayor of Belfast.[9] He is also the first spouse of a former Lord Mayor of Belfast to also serve in the post.[10] Long's wife Naomi held the position from June 2009 to June 2010. When Long was installed as Lord Mayor on 9 May 2022, he spoke in both English and Irish and said that his predecessor was an "inspiration". Following on from Kate Nicholl, who was born in Zimbabwe, Long was the second Lord Mayor of Belfast in a row to be foreign-born.[4]

On 1 June 2022, Long was succeeded by Tina Black of Sinn Féin as Lord Mayor of Belfast.[2]

Personal life

Long met his wife Naomi when they were teenagers and they married in 1995.[4]

On 23 April 2022, Long's father Adrian, a civil engineer, died.[11] His funeral was held on 5 May, the same day as the 2022 Assembly election.[12]

References
  1. "Councillor Michael Long installed as Lord Mayor of Belfast". Belfast City Council. 9 May 2022. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
  2. Simpson, Mark (1 June 2022). "Sinn Féin's Tina Black elected as Belfast Lord Mayor". BBC News. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
  3. "The Rt. Hon. the Lord Mayor, Councillor Michael Long". Belfast City Council. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
  4. Simpson, Mark (9 May 2022). "Alliance: Michael Long makes history as three-week mayor". BBC News. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
  5. Naomi Long MLA [@naomi_long] (26 September 2020). "So, not the Silver Wedding anniversary we planned" (Tweet). Retrieved 18 May 2022 – via Twitter.
  6. "Local Council Elections 2014 - Results by Stage". The Electoral Office for Northern Ireland. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
  7. McClafferty, Enda (16 January 2022). "Double jobbing: How dual mandates became an NI political problem". BBC News. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
  8. Kate Nicholl [@KateNicholl] (8 May 2022). "When I was declared an MLA, I stopped being Lord Mayor (3 weeks early!) I've had the best year meeting so many extraordinary people & witnessing all the good in our city. Thank you Belfast for the privilege of a lifetime ❤ #OurBelfast" (Tweet). Retrieved 8 May 2022 – via Twitter.
  9. Corscadden, Jane (9 May 2022). "Alliance's Michael Long set to 'make history' as Belfast mayor for three weeks". BelfastLive. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
  10. Fox, Matt (9 May 2022). "Alliance Party's Naomi and Michael Long to make history as first couple to hold Belfast lord mayor office". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
  11. Lynch, Connor (24 April 2022). "Tributes paid to father of Belfast Alliance councillor Michael Long". BelfastLive. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
  12. Fox, Matt (5 May 2022). "Naomi Long attends father-in-law's funeral on election day as tributes flood in for Professor Adrian Long". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
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