DUP MLA Christopher Stalford died suddenly at the weekend, aged 39
Mr Stalford became an MLA in 2016 and served as the principal deputy speaker of the Assembly since 2020
He is survived by his wife Laura and four children
Mr Stalford frequently spoke of his pride in representing the South Belfast constituency where he grew up in a working-class family
DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said he was deeply saddened at Mr Stalford's death
Sinn Féin's Vice-President Michelle O'Neill called news of Mr Stalford's death "desperately sad"
Doug Beattie, leader of the Ulster Unionist Party, said he was "lost for words" at the news
SDLP leader Colm Eastwood expressed his "deepest condolences" to Mr Stalford's family
The SDLP called off its conference on Sunday as a mark of respect
Naomi Long, Alliance Party leader, spoke of her "shock, sadness and devastation" following Mr Stalford's death
Image source, Paul FaithFollowing a minute’s silence, Speaker Alex Maskey adjourns today’s session.
That concludes members tributes to DUP MLA and Principal Deputy Speaker Christopher Stalford who died suddenly at the weekend, aged 39.
Thank you for joining us today during our coverage.
Image source, NI AssemblySpeaker of the House, Alex Maskey, advises members that they will now take a minute’s silence to reflect on the life of MLA Christopher Stalford.
Christopher Stalford "was born to be a politician," says independent MLA Alex Easton.
"All of us knew how passionate he was about South Belfast," he adds.
"He was a wonderful individual," the North Down MLA adds.
Image source, NI AssemblyChristopher Stalford's DUP colleague Joanne Bunting says "our hearts are filled with sadness".
"A big character, a huge personality, a wide smile, a loud and hearty laugh," she says.
She says Mr Stalford was "sensitive, a worrier, compassionate, kind, great company".
Edwin Poots says he first met Christopher Stalford when he was 15 years old and arrived at a DUP conference.
“Christopher was very, very proud that it was Dr Paisley who married him, that it was Dr Paisley who dedicated his four children,” explains the DUP MLA.
“When it came to politics, Christopher did have that attitude that he was going to be a husband, a father and a son first, and he did that,” adds the agriculture minister.
Image source, NI Assembly“The most painful goodbyes are the ones that are never said,” says Jonathan Buckley.
The DUP MLA expresses that there “are no words” to sum up the pain of loss at Christopher Stalford’s passing.
Image source, NI Assembly“This is a very sad day today, a day when the assembly meets without a talented young man who was our principal deputy speaker within this place,” says Pam Cameron.
She says Christopher Stalford “will be greatly missed within the DUP family”.
The South Antrim MLA says her “thoughts and prayers” are with Mr Stalford’s family as they come to terms with his loss.
Image source, NI Assembly“It must be unimaginable” what Mr Stalford’s family is going through, says Colm Gildernew.
The Sinn Féin MLA says Mr Stalford “wore a persona which was so large, but he wore it so lightly”.
“I never, ever passed him in the corridor of this House that he didn’t stop for at least a few seconds, a few minutes, for a conversation or out in the car park,” he adds.
Christopher Stalford's DUP colleague Mervyn Storey, says his death is "a reminder to us all that life is very short".
"If you go up the third floor you'll find a room with Christopher's name on it and it's like a museum" with memorabilia of his career and political biographies.
He says that Christopher Stalford's lasting legacy for his party colleagues will be as "someone who you knew was always with you".
Image source, NI AssemblySinn Féin's Emma Sheerin says Mr Stalford probably viewed her lack of regard for the formalities of the assembly "with complete bewilderment".
"You knew that when you met him outside you'd be met with warmth, a bit of craic, good humour, a genuine friendly comment," she says.
Image source, NI AssemblyPaul Givan, the former DUP first minister, says Christopher Stalford “had a great future in this place”.
“We have to accept that our ways aren’t always God’s ways, difficult as that is to come to terms with, difficult for his family to come to terms with, but we have to submit to that higher authority and his sovereignty in all things, challenging as that may be for us.”
Mr Givan recalls first meeting Mr Stalford when he was a secondary school student at the age of 15.
Image source, NI AssemblyMr Stalford “was a man of conviction and compassion”, says Declan McAleer.
The Sinn Féin MLA says the principal deputy speaker performed his role “impeccably”.
“Christopher was a good man.”
The death of Christopher Stalford, "is a tremendous loss, a grievous loss to the DUP, to this assembly, to this house and to NI politics," says independent MLA Trevor Lunn.
"His intervention skills were forensic, he was really very good at it," he adds.
Mr Lunn expresses his condolences to Mr Stalford's family.
Image source, NI AssemblySinn Féin MLA Linda Dillon describes Mr Stalford as "an absolute gentleman".
She says he was "full of integrity and a pleasure to do business with".
Image source, NI Assembly“I’m sure I’m not the only person in this chamber who woke up this morning hoping that it wasn’t true,” that Christopher Stalford had died aged 39, says Mike Nesbitt.
“Radio Ulster wasn’t long in disabusing me of the hope that that door to my left might open and usher in a dapper-looking 39 year old with a mind full of purpose and mischief,” adds the Ulster Unionist.
“My thoughts today are with the community in which he lived, he served, but particularly his family.”
Image source, NI AssemblyChris Lyttle of Alliance says to Mr Stalford’s family, “your husband, your dad, your son, your brother, talked about you so very often and loved you all so very much”.
“His enduring legacy is going to be one of love for his family, service to his community and as others have said, his faith in his God,” he says.
Mr Lyttle recalls his first encounter with Mr Stalford at Queen’s University Students’ Union.
Sinn Féin MLA Caoimhe Archibald notes other MLAs' comments about Christopher Stalford's feelings for his family. "He clearly loved them dearly and was very proud of them," she says.
"He was always respectful, always friendly and would never pass you."
"He was decent, he had manners, he had class," Ms Archibald adds.
Image source, NI Assembly"We are overwhelmingly sad at the loss of our friend and colleague," says DUP MLA Gordon Lyons.
"One of the reasons why it's so difficult to comprehend that Christopher is no longer with us is that he was such a larger than life character," he says.
Mr Lyons says that Mr Stalford would often have been on his phone when they were in the chamber sending him "a running commentary of his views of the speeches that had just been ".
"'This is dryer than Ryvita', he would say to me," Mr Lyons recalls.
Image source, NI AssemblySteve Aiken’s first recollection of meeting Christopher Stalford was during an appearance on the BBC’s The View programme.
“Even though I was a complete and utter newbie, he gave me the political respect of completely tearing me apart on the programme and he did it with wit and skill and more than a gentle reminder that I needed to do my homework,” he recalls.
“It was a very valuable lesson but it was given in such a nice way that we became at the very least good political friends," says the Ulster Unionist.
Image source, NI Assembly“It’s hard to comprehend the news that Christopher is gone,” says Andrew Muir.
The Alliance MLA adds that he “had a lot of respect for Christopher” as he was “able to play the ball not the player”.
“He always had a warm welcome when we met, even after a feisty debate within the chamber and he was capable of that wry humour and smile,” he explains.
"We have lost a great man," says Christopher Stalford's DUP colleague, Peter Weir.
"Christopher was probably the oldest teenager I've ever met," he says, noting his fondness of Barbour jackets and suits from an early age.
"What shone out from Christopher from day one was his talent and ability," Mr Weir adds.
"There is no-one I have ever met who has been as much of a family man as Christopher," the Strangford MLA says.
Image source, NI AssemblyPatsy McGlone says "it was a bit of craic in the assembly when he (Mr Stalford) was in the chair".
The SDLP MLA expresses his "sincerest heartfelt sympathies" to Christopher Stalford's family and his DUP colleagues.
"May God rest his gentle soul," he adds.
Image source, NI AssemblyPaula Bradshaw first met Christopher Stalford in 2005 when he was a 22-year-old candidate for Belfast City Council.
She says he was always “courteous, charming and above all respectful”.
The Alliance MLA adds “this chamber will never be the same”.
“He was always up for an intervention and his contributions were always heartfelt and well researched.”
Image source, NI Assembly“Christopher Stalford was a formidable political opponent,” says John O’Dowd.
The Sinn Féin representative says last week Mr Stalford was “giving us both barrels” during a debate.
“There were times when I debated with Christopher that I tried not to like him afterwards, but I couldn’t,” says Mr O’Dowd.
“He was such an affable individual.”
The Upper Bann representative adds: “I’ll miss him and this place won’t be the same without him.”
SDLP MLA Matthew O'Toole remembers meeting Christopher Stalford 20 years ago at the NI Youth Parliament.
He says he was head and shoulders above all the other young people.
"He was incisive witty, infuriating and he remained so for the subsequent two decades," Mr O'Toole adds.
"Christopher Stalford was a man of passionate politics, principle but also deep humanity," the South Belfast MLA adds.
Image source, NI AssemblyUlster Unionist Roy Beggs says that as a deputy speaker he worked closely with Christopher Stalford.
He says the South Belfast MLA had "a turn of phrase that enabled him to manage all unruly MLAs".
"His passing is a loss to this assembly," Mr Beggs says.
Image source, NI AssemblySinn Féin Junior Minister Declan Kearney puts on record his condolences to the family of Christopher Stalford.
“I can only hope the treasure of memories, and there are many, which Christopher has left his family, friends, colleagues and his party might bring some comfort in the difficult weeks and months ahead,” says the MLA.
He adds that Mr Stalford’s passing is a “poignant reminder to us all that those who serve in public life also have private lives”.
Image source, NI Assembly“This is a speech I absolutely did not want to make,” says William Humphrey.
The MLA says Mr Stalford, his party colleague, once told him that “if you cut me in half it would probably say ‘DUP’”.
“He loved debating, he loved even more winning debates, he was a man of faith,” says the North Belfast representative.
Mr Humphrey puts on record his thanks to the SDLP for postponing their Spring Conference following the announcement of Mr Stalford’s death.
This is “a loss from which I will never recover,” he says, adding that Mr Stalford “was like a wee brother to me”.
Image source, NI AssemblyPeople Before Profit’s Gerry Carroll says he “can only imagine the heartbreak” Christopher Stalford’s family are going through.
The West Belfast MLA says that he and Mr Stalford had “robust debate and strong disagreements” when they first met at Belfast City Hall.
Turning to his time as principal deputy speaker, Mr Carroll says the DUP MLA, “was an absolutely fair speaker, someone who went out of his way to ensure all voices were heard in debates”.
Image source, NI AssemblyClare Sugden, an independent MLA, expresses her “heartfelt condolences” to Mr Stalford’s wife, children and wider family circle.
She explains that she “felt numb” when she heard the news of his passing, and still does.
“We have lost one of our own,” adds Ms Sugden.
He was incredibly “funny and full of wit" says the East Londonderry representative.
Green Party leader Clare Bailey pays tribute to Christopher Stalford's "absolute natural talent".
On behalf on her party, she extends her "deepest condolences" to his family and to the DUP.
"I am truly struggling to come to terms with it still," Ms Bailey says.
"I do believe that this assembly and NI politics will miss him and I will miss him," she concludes.
Image source, NI AssemblyThe TUV's Jim Allister says he has "difficulty processing the shock of the passing of Christopher Stalford".
He says he wants to extend to Mr Stalford's family "the sincerest of sympathies on their unspeakable loss".
Mr Allister recalls that Mr Stalford worked for him for two or three years when he was an MEP (Member of European Parliament).
"It was evident to me that he had the ability and the talent which would make him the politician that he was," the TUV leader says.
Image source, NI AssemblyLess than a week ago, Naomi Long says she had a chat with Christopher Stalford “about his daughter and her future as she was transferring from one school to another”.
“I did not expect this morning that I would be standing here paying tribute to him in these circumstances but it doesn’t surprise me at all that my last conversation with him was about his children and his family, because they were at the heart of everything he did,” says the Alliance party leader.
The East Belfast MLA outlines that she first met Mr Stalford during their time at Belfast City Council.
She recalls that he perhaps “holds the record for being the only member in city council that I ever turned his mic off on during a debate and I think he held it as a badge of honour”.
She says during his tenure as Principal Deputy Speaker, Mr Stalford was "fair, he could be fierce, he kept us all in order," but "used his wit and self-deprecating humour and you never felt that when you were stopped or challenged by him that there was any animosity or personal discord behind it".
Image source, NI AssemblyDoug Beattie, the Ulster Unionist leader, says his “heart sank” when he heard that Christopher Stalford had died, aged 39.
“I have no words that will quench the anguish of his party colleagues sitting here today, I have no words that will help with the pain that his family is dealing with today.”
“I have no quick quip to truly outline the person that we all knew, that we all had interactions with,” says Mr Beattie.
“Christopher was unique, absolutely unique, he was a fierce debater,” adds the MLA.
Mr Beattie continues: “I didn’t just like Christopher Stalford, I was jealous of Christopher Stalford as he was truly a first class politician and family man.”
“I’m going to miss him.”
Image source, NI AssemblySDLP MLA Nichola Mallon says "this is a very sombre day for our assembly but particularly for Christopher Stalford's friends and colleagues in the DUP".
She says she knew the DUP MLA for 10 years.
"In all that time, I got to know a man who was challenging, argumentative, ambitious, some may even say combative, during debates but also a man who was kind, who was quick witted, fiercely intelligent and very, very funny," Ms Mallon says.
"Christopher Stalford was unique," she adds.
Ms Mallon says his love for his wife and children "just radiated from him".