Speaking during a Matter of the Day which he secured in the Assembly today TUV leader Jim Allister said:
“On Wednesday of this week, this United Kingdom and the Commonwealth will celebrate a very considerable landmark in regard to the monarchy, in that Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will become the longest serving British monarch in history. The scale of that achievement is perhaps illustrated by the fact that relatively few Members of the House were even born when Her Majesty succeeded to the throne in February 1952. She was already the longest living monarch in our nation’s history and now she will become the longest serving, surpassing the record of her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria.
“It is typical of the work ethic of Her Majesty that she will treat Wednesday as just another working day. That betokens the commitment that has hallmarked her entire life of incredible public service to the nation and the Commonwealth. Therefore, I think it is right and appropriate that this devolved Assembly in this United Kingdom should mark that occasion, salute the achievement of Her Majesty and record our deep appreciation for her long and successful reign. It would also be remiss not to mention the great support that she has had in that role from her consort and husband of 68 years, the Duke of Edinburgh, who has been by her side throughout the entirety of this long reign. We are grateful for that. “May Her Majesty be spared yet to continue to long rule over us. ‘God Save the Queen’.”