Debate contribution: Scottish Election and Welsh Election
Debate contribution by Dr Steve Aiken OBE on .
- MLA
- Dr Steve Aiken OBE
- Party at the time
- Ulster Unionist Party
- Date
- 11 May 2026
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Matters of the Day
- Heading
- Scottish Election and Welsh Election
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5523519
Read the official Assembly record
Text
The election results represent a sad time for those who lost their seats. As a member of the steering group of the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly and a member of the steering committee of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, I know how much has been provided to those organisations by Members who, sadly, have lost their seats, and I pay my respects. Some were independent Members. There were Lib Dems and members of Welsh Labour, Scottish Labour, the Welsh Conservatives, the Scottish Conservatives and even the SNP. They are friends and colleagues who worked tirelessly to promote the best of the United Kingdom and in the areas of the climate emergency, LGBT rights and disability rights not just in the United Kingdom but across the world. I pay particular thanks to Jeremy Balfour, who is a friend of many of us. Jeremy has been a tireless supporter of disability rights and action across the globe. Anybody who has met Jeremy will know that he is probably one of the most dedicated people when it comes to dealing with disability issues. I wish Jeremy all the best for the future. I have been in contact with him, and I know that he will bounce back, but I pass on to him the regards of the members of our committees. Jamie Greene is another great friend. Believe it or not, he hails from County Antrim. He was a Lib Dem MSP but lost his seat in the Scottish election. Jamie has been a tireless advocate for LGBTQ rights. He has been to the fore, particularly in dealing with rights in areas such as Africa, which not been the easiest place to support LGBTQ issues. I have worked closely with Jeremy on quite a few issues, including on election observation missions, and he is probably one of the soundest politicians whom I have met. So, when some Members gloat about the loss of those Members in the elections, they should remember that a lot of them provided a lot of support and, indeed, have been useful in making sure that our nation, the Commonwealth and many other nations have been supported in democratic consistency. It is with sadness that I make my remarks today, but, when I talk to them all, I will pass on our regards.
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: 0.05 (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 (0.91).
- Subject area: Disability (including neurodivergence and mental health), disabled people and disability or sickness benefits.
- 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 | 0.12 | No |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.02 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.02 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.02 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.05 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.04 | No |
| Overall judgement | 0.05 | At or below not-flagging threshold |
| Option | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-based framing (chosen) | 0.91 |
| Reports or questions it | 0.00 |
| Criticises or condemns it | 0.09 |
| Adopts it | 0.00 |
| Subject | Probability |
|---|---|
| Disability (including neurodivergence and mental health), disabled people and disability or sickness benefits | 0.51 |
| Gender, sexuality, abortion and related social issues | 0.46 |
| No identity-related subject | 0.01 |
| Sexism, misogyny, ageism and other equality groups | 0.01 |
| Another identity-related subject | 0.01 |
Assessed 21 October 2026 at 15:33 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
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