Hello, in this programme, I'm talking face to face with one of the best known independent politicians

Northern Ireland has produced about her formative influences and experiences. The sudden death of her

political mentor eight years ago thrust her into the spotlight when she was co-opted into his seat

in the assembly. Since then, she's fought for and retained it no fewer than three times. Claire Stugden,

welcome to Red Lines. When you look back on your early life, can you point to a particular moment or

event when you realised you were interested in politics? Yeah, I think just growing up in a household,

my dad was a prison officer. He came to Northern Ireland during the Troubles as a member of the British Army. So there was always a conscious awareness of what was happening in Northern Ireland within our house, whether it was watching the news, just keeping an eye just even for security purposes. So I think I could really kind of point back to that in terms of the familiarity of politics.

I think then when I went to school and we were taught history and obviously a big part of that is Northern Ireland politics,

it's something that just felt so familiar, almost natural, if I could say that.

So I think it sort of came from my upbringing.

It just feels natural to me.

Did you talk politics around the breakfast table?

I suppose we did, but I wouldn't have described it as talking politics.

I think it was described as talking about everyday life.

I was born in 1986, so to an extent I have some recollection of the troubles and certainly remember when the Good Friday Agreement was signed and then what happened after that.

But I do think, you know, there was always, the news was always on, daddy was always coming home telling his stories of being within the prison and just what happened with his day.

So whilst I wouldn't have said we talked politics at the kitchen table, we talked about our life.

And I think those two things were intrinsically linked.

Were you aware of your father taking security precautions?

I mean, did he check under the car before he got into it in the morning and headed off to work?

He did. He carried a firearm.

He didn't wear his seatbelt because he was exempt

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