Former Labour Senator, Máiría Cahill will become a Councillor on Lisburn and Castlereagh Council for the SDLP.
You can read her interview with the BBC here.
Speaking about the move, SDLP Leader Colum Eastwood said;
“Máiría Cahill has an extremely strong record of speaking out against injustice, maltreatment and inequality; we are confident that her attributes are best placed to compliment the values and vision of the SDLP, and we are delighted she has decided to make the SDLP her political home.
“Politics is too often sadly missing brave voices to call out right from wrong. The SDLP has always taken uncomfortable steps to deliver a fair and just society, and I am confident Máiría will play a prolific part in continuing to practice the politics others merely preach, by speaking truth to power.”
David McCann holds a PhD in North-South relations from University of Ulster. You can follow him on twitter @dmcbfs