The Alliance Party of Northern Ireland's 2024 "Leading Change" manifesto put Stormont reform at the head of its programme: end unionist nationalist designations, replace the Petition of Concern with weighted majority voting, change the rules for nominating First and deputy First Ministers, and cap political donations. The election delivered one Westminster seat, Sorcha Eastwood taking Lagan Valley from the DUP. The Stormont position returned Naomi Long as Justice Minister when devolution restored in February 2024. Twenty three months on, the reform proposals have been published and restated. The reform has not happened. The gap is between the manifesto's structural reform programme and the institutions whose consent the reform requires.
The core paradox is structural: Alliance argues against the designations system and holds the Justice Ministry because of the designations system. The portfolio allocation under d'Hondt gives the Justice brief to Alliance because neither the DUP nor Sinn Féin will nominate one from their own ranks. The designations system that Alliance demands be dismantled is the reason Alliance holds office. The reform Alliance champions would remove the reason Alliance holds its only significant institutional position.
On Stormont reform the manifesto committed to ending designations and replacing the Petition of Concern. Naomi Long has restated the proposals consistently through 2025 and 2026, warning that 2026 "must be the last year dysfunctional government is allowed to continue." The DUP has rejected them as "a dangerous step towards majority rule by the back door." The reform requires the consent of the parties whose vetoes the reform would remove. Neither party will consent to removing their own veto power. Westminster has shown no willingness to intervene and override the parties' consent. Stormont reform is structurally impossible.
On Westminster the manifesto committed to "positive, progressive and solution focused" presence. The single Alliance MP Sorcha Eastwood sits and engages where positions align. The leverage is one MP in a 650 seat parliament.
On Europe the manifesto positioned Alliance as among the most explicitly pro Windsor Framework parties. Labour's May 2025 EU reset summit moved partially in the direction Alliance advocated, including Erasmus re-entry and veterinary agreements. This is the one area where Alliance's position has moved government policy.
On welfare the manifesto opposed the two child benefit cap. Labour scrapped the cap at the November 2025 Budget. The headline welfare ask has been delivered by the UK Government, not through Alliance advocacy.
This is not a party that broke its manifesto. Alliance has delivered the Stormont reform argument consistently and held the Justice Ministry effectively. The reform proposals are published. The DUP and Sinn Féin will not consent to them. The institutions that would approve the reform benefit from the system Alliance demands be reformed. Westminster will not intervene. Alliance cannot compel reform of the system it depends on. No one else will compel it. The question is whether Alliance can accept that structural reform is impossible when the party making the argument depends on the structure it seeks to change. Whether holding office in a dysfunctional system is compatible with arguing for the system's reform remains unanswered.
Economy & Tax
The Alliance "Leading Change" 2024 manifesto demanded a new financial settlement for Northern Ireland to replace what the party called chronic Treasury underfunding, with a needs based formula reflecting demographic and deprivation factors. The manifesto pushed for fiscal responsibility powers to be tied to performance metrics and for additional Westminster investment in transport infrastructure and digital connectivity.
Stormont's October 2024 fiscal framework deal provided additional resources but did not fundamentally restructure the funding model. The needs based settlement Alliance demanded remains the published ask.
NHS & Health
NHS Northern Ireland is devolved. The manifesto committed to substantial workforce investment, pay parity with Great Britain, a sustainable funding model, and integration of health and social care delivery. The Westminster ask was pass through of NHS England consequentials and structural reform of the Barnett formula as it applies to health.
Immigration & Asylum
The manifesto opposed the Rwanda removals scheme and the Illegal Migration Act framework, supported the right of asylum seekers to work, and pushed for a Northern Ireland visa stream reflecting the region's specific labour market needs. The framing was Northern Ireland's open economy requiring a more open immigration regime than UK policy permits.
Education
Education in Northern Ireland is devolved. The manifesto's central commitment was expansion of integrated education provision, with Alliance arguing the segregated school system entrenches division. The Westminster ask focused on funding consequentials and protection of integrated education from sectoral pressure.
Climate & Energy
The manifesto pledged alignment with the UK 2050 net zero target, accelerated investment in offshore wind in Northern Irish waters, and a green economy strategy linked to the wider Westminster industrial framework. Alliance pushed for an all Ireland approach to climate cooperation through cross border infrastructure.
Housing
Housing in Northern Ireland is largely devolved. The manifesto's Westminster ask focused on Local Housing Allowance uplifts, additional capital for social housing, and homelessness funding. The framing was housing pressure as a structural feature of Northern Ireland inequality requiring sustained UK investment.
Welfare & Work
The manifesto opposed the two child benefit cap, opposed the bedroom tax, and demanded parity of treatment with Great Britain on welfare uprating. The framing was social protection consistent with the Alliance social democratic positioning.
Labour scrapped the two child benefit cap at the November 2025 Budget. The headline welfare ask of the manifesto has been delivered by the UK Government.
Crime & Justice
Criminal justice in Northern Ireland is devolved and Alliance leader Naomi Long has held the Justice Minister role at Stormont. The manifesto pushed for repeal of the Conservative Legacy of the Troubles Act, sustained police service funding, and reform of the prison estate. The framing was justice reform as Alliance's established competence.
Naomi Long returned as Justice Minister in February 2024 when Stormont restored, her second tenure after the 2020 to 2022 period. The portfolio allocation under d'Hondt continues to require an Alliance Justice Minister because neither the DUP nor Sinn Féin will nominate one from their own ranks.
Defence & Foreign Policy
The manifesto supported continued NATO membership, opposed Trident nuclear renewal as poor value for money, supported restoration of overseas aid to 0.7 per cent of gross national income, and pushed for a values based foreign policy. Alliance positioned itself within mainstream Western liberal foreign policy framing.
Europe
The manifesto positioned Alliance as among the most explicitly pro Windsor Framework parties in Northern Ireland, defending the framework's operational role and pushing for closer UK alignment with the European Union. The party advocated re-entry to Erasmus, expanded science cooperation, and a veterinary agreement to ease food trade.
Labour's May 2025 EU reset summit moved partially in the direction Alliance advocated. The defining position has not been challenged because the UK Government has moved part way toward it rather than against it.
Constitution & Devolution
The defining 2024 manifesto commitment was Stormont reform: ending the unionist nationalist designations system, replacing the Petition of Concern with weighted majority voting, removing the veto of the largest unionist or nationalist party over First and deputy First Minister nominations, and capping donations to Northern Ireland parties. Naomi Long described the manifesto position as "I believe that the days of designations are over".
Through 2025 and 2026 Naomi Long has restated the reform proposals consistently, calling for cross community consent mechanisms to be reformed and warning that 2026 "must be the last year dysfunctional government is allowed to continue". The DUP has rejected the reform proposals as "a dangerous step towards majority rule by the back door". The reform requires consent from the parties whose vetoes the reform would remove.