Mike Nesbitt - Always at ease in a television studio, the former news anchorman inevitably focused on Arlene Foster's association with RHI and the DUP and Sinn Féin's record in government. Meanwhile, he said his party would be "willing partners" in an executive if the opportunity arose, stressing the need to work in a "spirit of reconciliation". He was also keen to highlight how the two governing parties were slow to endorse a public inquiry into RHI. Mr Nesbitt insisted there is an appetite for change and that he will "put the country first".
Score 8/10
Michelle O'Neill – Clearly briefed to stick to the message of "equality, respect and integrity in government", Sinn Féin's new northern leader was competent in her first leaders' debate but not outstanding. In contrast to Martin McGuinness last year, her main target was the DUP's "arrogance and contempt". She also attacked the SDLP for a decade-long failure to vote for a budget in the executive and called on the Irish government to "step up to the plate" in Brexit negotiations. She claimed to have "grasped the nettle" of health service reform and was adamant throughout that the DUP were the architects of the RHI scandal.
Score 7/10
Arlene Foster – Potentially the DUP leader had most to lose from this debate as her record on RHI was publicly scrutinised. Mrs Foster did her best divert attention with numerous mentions of "Gerry Adams and his radical agenda", despite the fact she'd been in government with his party for the past decade. She looked uneasy when ambushed with questions about how the DUP paid for expensive pro-Brexit adverts in the British press but escaped supplementary questioning on what could have been an embarrassing issue. Her die-hard supporters may believe her claims of "political smearing" around RHI but others will be more sceptical.
Score 7/10
Naomi Long – Alliance's message of fixing Stormont's "broken politics" has validity but can sometimes sound a little tired. Mrs Long does her best to reinvigorate the argument though is sometimes unsure where exactly to direct her criticisms. In this debate the DUP and UUP were the main targets, while conceding that she would work with both if the circumstances were favourable. She managed to raise the biggest laugh with her description of Mike Nesbitt's party as the "lothario of Northern Ireland politics".
Score 8/10
Colum Eastwood – He didn't go as far as Mike Nesbitt in saying he'd give his second preference vote to the UUP, but the SDLP leader did defend the idea of "transferring on a cross-community basis". He managed to attack the DUP and Sinn Féin over RHI, highlighting how both had initially been reluctant to have a public inquiry. He stressed the negative aspects of Brexit, while highlighting the closeness of the executive's two biggest parties before their acrimonious divorce.
Score 8/10
