Debate contribution: Anna Lo
Debate contribution by Ms Kellie Armstrong on .
- MLA
- Ms Kellie Armstrong
- Party at the time
- Alliance Party
- Date
- 11 November 2024
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Assembly Business
- Heading
- Anna Lo
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 4667041
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I came to the House in 2016, after Anna had left, but that does not mean to say that I did not know Anna in her role as a politician. I remember that, in 2014, as part of the European election campaign, she came to Portaferry to look at the SeaGen turbine that was in Strangford lough at the time. It was an absolutely miserable day. The car was fogged up. It was terrible, and there was nothing that we could do other than get out of the car and stand along the coastline, where Anna quizzed me for about 45 minutes about how the turbine worked. That encapsulates part of what we have heard here today from so many others. Anna Lo was absolutely committed to the environment. She not only loved doing her work but loved the environment. She loved doing things that were going to protect it, not just for her but for all of us. Anna was a person who loved very warmly. In recent times, an event was held for former and current female elected representatives of the Assembly, and Anna attended it. I watched as she went round the room, and there was not a single female elected representative in the room, no matter what the party, whom Anna did not hug. We all know what Anna's hugs were like. I am very sorry for Owen and Conall and for Robert. Although they have lost a very precious person, we have all lost. Anna was a warm person. She epitomised what Alliance is about. One did not really get into an argument with Anna. She talked you round and made sure that you understood exactly how she felt, but it was all done with a smile on her face and with great warmth in her heart. Others from the Alliance Party have spoken very warmly about Anna today. I think of Kate, Cathy, Jenna and all who worked with Anna for so long over the years. She was their work mummy, and they will desperately miss her. Anna was my friend. She and I did not exactly share a lot of height, but the good thing about that was that, when she hugged me, she hugged me really hard, and I will miss her so much.
382 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Assessment
Jev’s structured answers met the documented threshold for “not flagged”.
- Overall probability that the activity is being used to promote, exploit or escalate an identity-based controversy: 0.02 (flagging needs at least 0.70; at or below 0.30 is not flagged).
- None of the five culture-war criteria was met (each was below 0.60).
- No identity-based framing was identified (1.00).
- Subject area: Sexism, misogyny, ageism and other equality groups.
- The overall probability was at or below the not-flagging threshold.
This is an AI-generated assessment of the text, made against published criteria. It is not a finding of fact about the MLA or their intentions. The Assembly record itself is the fact.
Jev’s structured answers
| Question | Probability | Met? |
|---|---|---|
| Identity framing | 0.03 | No |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.01 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.01 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.01 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.02 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.02 | No |
| Overall judgement | 0.02 | At or below not-flagging threshold |
| Option | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-based framing (chosen) | 1.00 |
| Reports or questions it | 0.00 |
| Criticises or condemns it | 0.00 |
| Adopts it | 0.00 |
| Subject | Probability |
|---|---|
| Sexism, misogyny, ageism and other equality groups | 0.41 |
| No identity-related subject | 0.39 |
| Gender, sexuality, abortion and related social issues | 0.12 |
| Another identity-related subject | 0.04 |
| Legacy of the Troubles, victims and paramilitarism | 0.03 |
Assessed 21 October 2026 at 11:32 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
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