AN SDLP candidate has said he is confident that his party will "bounce back" in July after what he described as "a couple of bad elections". 

In an interview on Monday, Paul Blake refuted that the SDLP was in decline, despite sustaining major losses at the Council last year that saw the loss of his seat. 

"Look, we have taken a hit in recent years, but we are ready to bounce back," said Mr. Blake.

"We have had a couple of bad elections, but I feel that Northern Ireland needs the SDLP. It needs that clear vision.

"I do feel I can win. I wouldn't be getting into this if I didn't."

Mr. Blake said being booted from the Council last year "hurt". 

"It does hurt, no doubt about it," he said.  "It was a massive blow, it was unexpected, and it was hard to take.

"But you have to get over that obstacle. That's the nature of politics. The electorate spoke, and spoke clearly."

Now standing for Westminster, Mr. Blake asserted that he was the right candidate to represent all areas of Fermanagh and South Tyrone, despite having only represented the Enniskillen DEA throughout his political career.

"Whether you are knocking on doors in Derrygonnelly, Enniskillen or Dungannon, the same issues are being raised," he said, when asked if he could represent voters from Dungannon.

However, Mr. Blake admitted that if the electorate asked a question on the doors about his party's stance on transgenderism, for example, he would not be able to answer.

"I would need more time to review it to see the SDLP's position on it," he said, when asked if he agreed with his own party's stance on transgenderism. 

"I would be pretty aware of the SDLP's stance on most positions, but around that, I wouldn't be. I couldn't comment on it."

Mr. Blake was then asked what he would say to a potential voter during a canvas if he didn't know the answer to a question on SDLP party policy. 

"Like I said, I would look at it, and get back to them on it," he said. 

"I would say that to anyone. Many times, people would stop you on the doors and ask you a question, and you are not too familiar with the answers.

"The only thing I can do is to come back to people with the answers."

Mr. Blake also spoke out against a former party MLA who said that Fermanagh and South Tyrone is a "sectarian mudbath".

He described the comments by former SDLP MLA Alban Maginness  as "awful", and said the people of the constituency "deserve better".

"The views of Alban McGuiness do not reflect the views of SDLP," Mr. Blake said.

"He [Alban] has not been elected in some time, and I would not agree with that [comment]. 

"That's an awful term to use, and I certainly would refute that with Alban the next opportunity I get."

The Westminster hopeful was also asked for his thoughts on recent party tensions, namely in Derry City and Strabane, where two councillors resigned over the party's selection of Mayor, as well as reported tensions in Fermanagh in 2022.

"This shows a true democracy, where we don't have to accept things and we can disagree," he said. 

"They [the councillors] had the right to dissent. Every party must be having the same disagreements, yet we don't see them. 

"It's healthy to see that disagreement, and the fact that we don't see it from other parties would concern me even greater," added Mr. Blake.