Willie Clarke ‘allowed the option’ of working in Down council…

It’s not particularly thought to have anything to do with the SDLP selection of a successor (who’s still waiting in the wings) for Margaret Ritchie. But the official explanation for dropping an MLA whose not thought to have been under particular electoral pressure reads like a transliteration of ‘spending more time with my family’ to ‘community initiatives’.

I was particularly struck with this line in the official press release: “I would also like to thank my Sinn Féin colleagues for their support throughout my term and allowing me the option to choose which arena I would continue my political representation.”[emphasis added]

Hmmm… Curiouser and curiouser….

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