Alliance leader Naomi Long to stand in general election

Two party leaders, one seat and a battle that’s as personal as it is political.

When Gavin Robinson won back the seat Naomi Long had taken from the DUP in 2010 he declared it “a new dawn”.

But come the dawn of 5 July could we be looking at Naomi Long’s return to Westminster?

Five years ago she came within 2,000 votes of Gavin Robinson’s majority.

Back then the TUV didn’t run a candidate, which makes the prospect of doing so this time all the more dramatic.

If Gavin Robinson didn’t already have a tough enough job steering his party into the election, the DUP leader now faces the biggest fight of his political life to keep the seat.

But Alliance will face plenty of criticism from its opponents for keeping Naomi Long in the justice minister job while she campaigns for Westminster.

Other parties make the case that running a campaign means a lack of focus on the day job.

Not to mention that if Alliance goes on to win Belfast East and retains North Down, both its leader and deputy leader will be based at Westminster, not Stormont – that alone could bring its own internal challenges.

Get the popcorn ready because this is going to be the showdown of election night.