The prospect of a Democratic Unionist Party Lord Mayor of Belfast took a step closer today after the cross community Alliance Party's councillors said they would back the party's bid.
The Alliance Party's Group, whose four councillors hold the balance of power on Belfast City Council, also confirmed it would back the nationalist SDLP for the post of deputy mayor at tonight's meeting.
Their leader, East Belfast councillor Naomi Long said they decided to back DUP councillor Wallace Brown's bid because he had indicated his willingness to carry on some of the initiatives brought forward by Alliance's Tom Ekin over the past year during his term of office.
The current Lord Mayor is Martin Morgan of the SDLP.
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