Under new leadership, what direction will the SDLP go in?

Newtownbutler-based Richie McPhillips said he had already called for a “taxi for Colum Eastwood” and added that the leader had made the right decision.

Mr. McPhillips added that the under pressure party badly needed new leadership and he believes that prospective candidate Claire Hanna can provide that leadership.

He said the rot has to stop soon but believes that the party still has a significant role to play.

“It was no shock to me and believe it should have happened quite a while back and last year after the Council elections I called for the taxi for him and the taxi has come eventually.

“The SDLP always stood for serving the people as best you can but if the people are not responding at the polls you have to look at your organization and your leadership.

“It’s like Eric Ten Hag managing Manchester Utd. He is not making the job happen and things are not happening on the field for the SDLP so heads needed to be called for.

“In the Council local elections of 2023 we lost over 20 councillors across the North.

“That was a follow on from where we went from 12 Assembly members to eight and before that in Colum’s first outing as leader we lost three MP’s and he has been leader for nine years.

“And we lost three councillors in the Fermanagh/Omagh district last year," said Mr. McPhillips who added: “While Colum has many qualities and is a great operator in the media, but in order for the party to come back we need to re-organize on the ground and regain the common touch which we had in the past.

“Our message has not been getting through to the people for quite some time.

“We just had too many bad days at the polls.

“Previous leaders like Alasdair McDonnell were very much in touch with the grass roots.

He continued: “In 2015 we were sitting at 15 per cent support in the polls and we had 14 Assembly members and we now have eight and we are sitting at eight per cent in the polls.”

So what is needed?

“The SDLP has to get back to its roots and it was a party that was started out of the Civil Rights Association, a party of social justice.

“Sadly many of our voters have left us as they do not see us playing a meaningful role and we are losing votes all over the place.

“Going forward Claire Hanna has universal backing in terms of taking over as leader and she is our future and she has certainly made her own of the South Belfast constituency.

“If she can replicate that in places like Fermanagh and South Tyrone it would be crucial as there is still a place for the SDLP because the SDLP has always been leaders in terms of bringing people together and trying to forge a path of unity of people rather than creating division."

And Belleek based ex-SDLP councillor John Coyle also said it was the right decision for the Derry MP to make way as while he had many good qualities including considerable media skills he did not pay enough attention to the grassroots.

“I was not really surprised as I felt that while he was great on TV, but from the general public’s opinion he did not come across as well as previous leaders like John Hume and Margaret Richie and Mark Durkan.

“And while I admired many of his traits there were leadership essentials that were not there.

“We are a party that represents the four corners of Northern Ireland and being visible on the ground and seeing the members and the general public in Fermanagh and South Tyrone is vitally important and that was not evident in his tenure.

“The political landscape is rotten and it is all about division and it turns people off."

Mr. Coyle admitted that there had been splits in the party in the past but those had been addressed under the chairmanship of Daniel McCrossan.

And he hit out at the national media for a political narrative that alienates the SDLP.

“We have lost a lot of ground and when I was a councillor for nine years I worked daily for everyone.

“But I feel the national media have to take responsibility for the political situation that we are in as they are setting a narrative that is anti-SDLP and any good that the SDLP does not get any real coverage.

“SDLP ideas are taken over by others and they run with it.

“But I feel that Claire Hanna could herald a new start for us which is badly needed and I would fully support her if she is chosen and she is the future of the party and she delivers."

Fermanagh and Omagh sitting councillor Adam Gannon said the party was attracting a younger vote than previously as evidenced by studies.

“Well polling shows that our biggest demographic is the 18-25 age groups across the North and we are losing the social conservatism and we are thus attracting more younger voters.

“Fermanagh is actually very progressive and tolerant."

And he had increased his Council vote from 2019 and has stood in the Westminster elections and in the Assembly Elections in 2022 where he just missed out.

He paid tribute to Colum Eastwood’s leadership and hailed it as an era when the SDLP truly embraced its Civil Rights roots in relation to equal marriage and abortion.

“Under Colm’s leadership we embraced modern Civil Rights but in the past we did not.

“The party did not support equal marriage before his leadership and the party has moved to a more tolerant position on abortion.

“It is an issue of moral conscience rather than taking a black and white stance.

“That brought in a lot more young people.”

On Mr. Eastwood’s resignation he said that “nine years is a long time in politics and especially as leader of a party and it is a very stressful and difficult job".

“He was the longest leader of any of the political parties in the North which is a tribute to him.

“Colum has gone out on his own terms and at a time of his own making which says a lot for the regard in which he is held in the party.”

Councillor Gannon admitted that losing seats was probably a factor in his departure, and if the party had been winning a lot of seats then Mr. Eastwood may have stayed on.

“But in recent times it would not matter who was the leader of the SDLP as there was a decline in the vote, but I think that decline is being arrested.”

When asked why the party has been leaking support, he said: “I think it is because for a long time a lot of people did not know what the SDLP stood for.

“We should never forget that we were one of the architects of the Good Friday Agreement and that was one of the greatest achievements in Irish politics.

“Sadly after that, the party has failed to define itself.

“But in recent years, the New Ireland Commission which was set up by Colum and the party to have real discussions about a united Ireland with people from unionist/loyalist backgrounds here in Fermanagh is a major achievement.

“This does not get any big headlines because it is in confidence to find out the real opinions and background work that has to be done if we are to deliver a real Ireland for everyone.

“These are private conversations that have been going on and people are more open in those circumstances.”

When asked what needed to be done in the future, he said: “Starting at the top Claire Hanna would have my full support. She is a real social democrat, she has clear beliefs and has that real political understanding of what impacts people’s lives.

“We don’t always get recognized for every policy but she is potentially a brilliant leader.

“We need to have a clear message and a clear belief in ourselves.

“For too long some in the party have been more worried about what Sinn Féin are doing rather focusing on what we can do and it's work on the ground and real grassroots activism [that] we need.

“I have been involved in grassroots activity and there is a reason why my vote has gone up from 2019 to 2023 because I was out on the ground doing work for my community and others were not and were maybe complacent."

Meanwhile, former SDLP election candidate Rosemary Flanagan said the resignation of Colum Eastwood was not surprising to the membership as he has served as leader for nine years through many difficult times - Brexit, the pandemic, the RHI scandal, and the continual absence of Stormont over many years during which we had little platform to push ideas and policies forward.

“He has now been one of the longest serving leaders and all of those struggles have been enough to exhaust the spirit.

“He obviously wants to have the freedom to concentrate on areas for development which require the skills and knowledge he has acquired over the years when he does not have to concentrate on the day-to-day cares of leadership. Colum believes that it is time for a fresh face with the fresh ideas on leadership of a person such as Claire Hanna who nevertheless shares the same values and ideals he does, the same basic principles of SDLP with left of centre policies.

"These policies are seeking social justice within a new Ireland of equality and reconciliation and attempting to remove the stain of sectarianism from our lives.

“Like Colum, she is a good communicator, finds it easy to talk to people but sees the need to improve and strengthen the organization of the party which has suffered during the isolation of the years of the pandemic.”

So why is the SDLP vote declining?

“The decline in electoral numbers has had many causes including failures in organization but has also been down to the desire of people to use their votes to punish the DUP for its negativity in refusing to accept progressive ways to move forward.

“For example, in giving the impression that it would not accept the appointment of a First Minister from Sinn Féin.

“The structures of SDLP have been reformed and begun to strengthen our organization.

“We have many young people in positions within the party with energy and enthusiasm.

“The role of Opposition in Stormont under the strong leadership of Matthew O’Toole has allowed the party to demonstrate and publicize its policies in many areas.

“I believe that many people across Northern Ireland still believe in SDLP principles and will support the party as we move forward into a new political climate where change is beginning to happen.”