Hearing reports @columeastwood is about to enter EU election race. pic.twitter.com/cuo134ITCY
— Enda McClafferty (@endamcclafferty) April 15, 2019
Following one declaration today, the SDLP are now in the process of selecting their candidate for the European Election. Mounting speculation is that the party leader, Colum Eastwood will take up the baton for the party. It is a risk for him to be sure, but with Nicholson out of the race, the SDLP need to show they’re taking this race seriously and putting up the party leader is a sign that they do have some degree of confidence about running a serious race. Eastwood does well on media appearances and coming from a border consistency can help construct a narrative around Brexit.
The result from 2014 are below, the party does have a mountain to climb. Martin Anderson from Sinn Fein and Diane Dodds from the DUP are safe, so it’s all about the third seat, which Danny Kennedy has thrown his hat in for with the UUP.
David McCann holds a PhD in North-South relations from University of Ulster. You can follow him on twitter @dmcbfs
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