# "I’m not a soft unionist” says independent MLA Claire Sugden

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-beltel-5373912/i-m-not-a-soft-unionist-says-independent-mla-claire-sugden
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-beltel-5373912/i-m-not-a-soft-unionist-says-independent-mla-claire-sugden.md
Podcast: [The BelTel](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-beltel-5373912)
Published: 2026-06-08T00:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://shows.acast.com/the-beltel/episodes/im-not-a-soft-unionist-says-independent-mla-claire-sugden
Audio file: https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/65670352d7b5d40012be7324/e/6a22a14ebe8560e74b7484f0/media.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-beltel-5373912/episodes/i-m-not-a-soft-unionist-says-independent-mla-claire-sugden
Duration seconds: 2432

## Resource

Claire Sugden is the only independent MLA in Stormont. Co-opted into the assembly for east Londonderry in 2014, she served as justice minister from May 2016 to March 2017.   Widely considered a ‘liberal unionist’, in May 2021 she turned down an invitation from Doug Beattie to join the UUP but she says she’s no “soft unionist”.   But under John Burrow's leadership, could she consider joining the party now? Can liberal Unionism be revived? And besides Unionism, what else does Claire believe in?   And she tells the BelTel that she wants to continue as a politician but not “at the expense of my health anymore.”  Claire Sugden joined Ciarán Dunbar.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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## Transcript

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