sdlp – Page 17 – Slugger O'Toole

Robinson, Nesbitt, Murphy and Long on Pacts

David McCann on March 17, 2015, 10:08 pm | Readers 3284

On Slugger we have the full remarks from Peter Robinson, Mike Nesbitt, Naomi Long and Conor Murphy. Let’s start with UUP leader, Mike Nesbitt, The Ulster Unionist Party and the DUP have reached an understanding regarding the General Election. The Ulster Unionist Party will have the support of the DUP for Tom Elliott in Fermanagh & South Tyrone and Danny Kennedy in Newry & Armagh. In return the Ulster Unionist Party will support Nigel Dodds in North Belfast …

Martin McGuinness accuses DUP of “reneging on their commitments to protect the most vulnerable”

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on March 9, 2015, 11:58 am | Readers 1850

The warning is there in Martin McGuinness’ speech to his party’s ard fheis on Friday evening. Of course, as George Mitchell famously pointed out, the most difficult phase of any agreement is the implementation. That is the phase we are now in but let me give you this commitment: The welfare protections we agreed are an absolute red line issue for SF. No matter how difficult the implementation process may get, we will not – under any circumstances – tolerate …

Hanna: International Women’s Day is an anniversary to mark the contribution, struggles and victories of women…let’s not lose site of it as a political event or of the road left to travel.

Soapbox on March 8, 2015, 5:12 pm | Readers 410

Continuing our series of articles, SDLP Councillor for Balmoral, Claire Hanna writes for us about her experiences and the barriers facing women in society today International Women’s Day brings annual soul searching about the lack of women in politics, which is both a symptom and cause of our dysfunctional politics. Evidence presented by the Economist newspaper shows that where legislatures have more women, they spend more on public services, bring forward more progressive legislation and have more balanced participation in …

Calling All Politicos: Pick your fantasy NI Executive

David McCann on March 3, 2015, 12:06 am | Readers 1210

For most reading this blog this will be the type of transfers you’ll be interested in. For just a few minutes imagine you’re the First Minister and you get to choose an Executive. Choices must be from within the current Assembly and sure we will use the new departments, Department for Communities Department for the Economy Department of Education Department of Health Department for Infrastructure Department of Justice Department of Finance Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs. My picks …

Maybe SDLP leadership “got in wrong” Alban?

Patricia MacBride on February 27, 2015, 1:08 pm | Readers 2363

The SDLP is in a bit of a pickle at the moment with its council members in Newry and Mourne appearing to have refused the party whip over the naming of a park after local man and IRA Hunger Striker Raymond McCreesh. The history of the park, the SDLP’s original support for its naming and the reaction to it has been well-documented elsewhere and I do not intend to revisit those issues in this column. What is interesting in this …

The Social Media Canvass

David McCann on February 22, 2015, 2:35 pm | Readers 602

Well they are all out of the traps as we go into March. If like me you follow a lot of politicians and activists your Facebook and Twitter news feeds have been swamped with pictures of lots of happy people taking selfies, delivering leaflets and telling us how the great people of this place love their candidates (my thanks to those of you who have stopping using the “great night on the doors” line). However, a few things I have …

Jonathan Bell: I will bring a campaign to South Belfast like “you have never seen”

David McCann on February 20, 2015, 1:32 pm | Readers 3389

On Wednesday night the DUP’s newly minted candidate for South Belfast launched his campaign to become the new MP for South Belfast. In the middle of all hustle and bustle of the Four Winds I caught up with the candidate, Junior Minister, Jonathan Bell. To start with I wanted to know why the DUP thought that South Belfast was so ripe for change? Bell told me that when you look at the last local election results it is clear that …

SDLP: No to a head to head but would consider a more inclusive debate

David McCann on February 17, 2015, 8:12 pm | Readers 1571

This whole issue started two weeks ago when the Sinn Fein candidate for South Belfast, Máirtín Ó Muilleoir asked for a debate with the sitting MP Alasdair McDonnell. It is my understanding that the DUP Candidate, Jonathan Bell is also game for a debate. However the key question is what about the sitting MP? Speaking to Slugger an SDLP spokesperson tonight said; The SDLP has received no formal invitation to participate in any debate in South Belfast. While we would …

McNulty: “I love being the underdog and I think winning this seat is achievable.”

David McCann on February 16, 2015, 10:13 am | Readers 1619

Interesting interview with SDLP Newry and Armagh candidate, Justin McNulty with political correspondent John Manley in today’s Irish News. When Manley asked him about how his sporting profile would help his chances he said; The GAA profile is a starting point only…Obviously it’s good to have a little recognition around the constituency but I’m going to do the work on the ground and on the floor in Westminster to help people have the quality of life they aspire to. When …

Raymond McCreesh play park, democracy and judicial activism

Turgon on February 15, 2015, 8:28 pm | Readers 2950

The Newry play park named after IRA hunger striker (and leading suspect in the Kingsmills murders) Raymond McCreesh has kept its name. Unionists on Newry council called a vote on changing the name. One SDLP councillor abstained on the vote whilst the others were not present: something denounced by victims’ campaigner Kenny Donaldson. This despite the SDLP leader Alasdair McDonnell opposing the local SDLP’s previous failure to back a name change. Unionists have vowed to continue the fight when the …

[Updated] Sinn Féin behaves like the Tories in North and talks like Syriza in the Republic

Mick Fealty on February 12, 2015, 11:30 am | Readers 2641

To be fair, I nicked that headline from Derek Mooney, a former FF special advisor, so there is an evident and intended spin to it. And yet it contains more than just a grain of truth to it. Having nearly collapsed the Assembly [Aye right! – Ed] Sinn Fein accepted the outline of a deal it had originally co-produced with the DUP with very little clear detail on what extra money would be forthcoming. Courtesy of Gerry Moriarty in the Irish Times, Martin McGuinness …

Welfare Reform: Are the SDLP showing real policy leadership or just grandstanding?

David McCann on February 10, 2015, 6:31 pm | Readers 737

Welfare Reform, austerity, cuts and Tories-these are the words of the day at Stormont. Here are some of the pictures doing the rounds from the SDLP about the Welfare Reform bill A full list of the amendments to the Welfare Reform bill can be found here Then the SDLP put this out there Arguments for SDLP position: They are honouring a position set out to oppose the initial opposition for Welfare Reform. The party are seeking to actually have a …

Playing Politics with Medicine: Alasdair’s Abortion Intervention

Soapbox on February 6, 2015, 6:05 pm | Readers 2329

The recent comments by the SDLP Leader over the issue of Abortion has caused a stir. Analysing his comments Ulster University academic, Dr. Cillian McGrattan argues that he is playing politics with medicine. The latest of the series of embarrassing PR-disasters that have characterised his tenure as SDLP leader, Alasdair McDonnell’s ostensible defence of his party’s abortion policy has managed to plumb a new low in what is otherwise an intensely emotionally sensitive debate. In order to avoid misinterpretation of …

Launching your election campaign with a bang.

David McCann on February 6, 2015, 2:44 pm | Readers 826

Well we have just three months to go until Election Day. Candidates and parties will be launching their campaigns for the Westminster election and will be attempting to set the tone for the campaign to come. Yet, despite this being a golden opportunity for you to set out your stall amongst the party faithful many parties either don’t invest in these types of events or just do them badly. Being the public service that we are here on Slugger I …

Well done SDLP for coming out of Sinn Fein’s shadow over the National Crime Agency

Brian Walker on February 4, 2015, 8:36 pm | Readers 1399

With less than a hundred days to go before the general election, the SDLP are to be congratulated for breaking free of Sinn Fein me-too-ism to vote in favour of terms which permit the National Crime Agency to operate fully in Northern Ireland. A clap on the back too for David Ford for bringing long negotiations to a successful outcome . To the outsider admittedly not in full command of the details, the final local accountability arrangements seem little different from what was …

Former GAA star to run for the SDLP in Newry and Armagh…

Mick Fealty on February 4, 2015, 4:56 pm | Readers 3986

So the SDLP throw a ringer into the Newry and Armagh Westminster fight. He’s Mullaghbawn man Justin McNulty, whose major claim to fame is not politics but GAA. The man he’s contesting, Mickey Brady was himself relatively new to the game in 2007 when Sinn Fein took back the Newry seat they’d lost when Davy Hyland left the party. I spoke earlier at length with Kevin McCallister on Q Radio in Newry: listen to ‘On the SDLP's choice of Justin …

Bloody Sunday Memorial Row: “This is nothing to do with politics whatsoever…”

Pete Baker on January 31, 2015, 8:02 pm | Readers 1681

A row has broken out in Londonderry over the design of a new Bloody Sunday memorial window in the Guildhall. The window was commissioned, at a maximum cost of £17,000, in May 2014 to replace the previous memorial window, which was installed in 1986, following complaints from some of the families of the Bloody Sunday victims. A spokesperson for Derry City Council said they had listened carefully to the views of the Bloody Sunday families. “To this end Derry City Council …

SDLP reject McGuinness’s proposal for a pact again

David McCann on January 24, 2015, 2:44 pm | Readers 2206

Earlier this morning the Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness spoke at a Sinn Fein event repeating his call for a pact telling his audience; I have appealed for an alliance of progressive parties in the coming Westminster and Assembly elections to maximise the representation of pro-Agreement parties. I believe that the SDLP’s rejection of my call is a serious political mistake and represents a lost opportunity. It demonstrates a lack of strategic vision on the part of the SDLP leadership …

Debating the Debates: NI will not be present

David McCann on January 22, 2015, 4:35 pm | Readers 1446

I will be writing to BBC and ITV to identify why the DUP is not included in new debate format. More seats than Plaid, SNP & Greens. — Peter Robinson (@DUPleader) January 22, 2015 Peter Robinson will be writing to complain that whilst the DUP has more seats and votes than some of the other parties, it still not be included in the debates. Likewise, Sinn Fein has 5 MPs and the SDLP hold 3 MPs and will not be …

Right Side Up: Republicansim from the Centre-Right

David McCann on January 11, 2015, 7:55 pm | Readers 1928

I muse about republicanism a lot on this site. How a possible Yes campaign might be constructed and the economic arguments for unity are something that really intrigues me. The two leading parties in Irish nationalism are Sinn Fein and the SDLP. Both proclaim (I note this does not always happen in practice) centre-left economic values of a strong state with provision of many social services and high public spending. In essence the sort of economic environment that exists presently …