More than half of SDLP’s councillors back merger with Fianna Fail: claim
MORE than half of the SDLP’s councillors in Northern Ireland would be prepared to stand for election under the Fianna Fail banner, according to sources.
The two parties have been in talks about a merger for several months but appear some way off making any official announcement.
However, behind the scenes councillors are becoming anxious to get clarity on where they stand ahead of local elections next May.
Party leader Micheal Martin was left “fuming” when councillor Sorcha McAnespy declared herself Fianna Fail’s first candidate in the Northern Ireland last month.
The move was seen in Dublin as a “false start” and deeply unhelpful to negotiations that are taking place.
Now sources familiar with the process claim that as many as 36 of the SDLP’s councillors are open to the idea of a merger with Fianna Fail. The SDLP won 66 seats in the 2014 council elections, but now lists 58 on its website.
“Others would probably fall in line as well rather than run as an independent at election time,” said one source.
The SDLP is currently a ‘sister’ of the Irish Labour Party, but over the weekend Labour leader Brendan Howlin warned that any move towards Fianna Fail would see that relationship end.
He said that if a merger goes ahead, Labour will step in to ensure a “pluralist option” is available in Northern Ireland.
Mr Howlin said he had written to SDLP leader Colum Eastwood
(below) last week seeking clarification about a possible merger between Fianna Fail and the SDLP.
“If some within the SDLP do merge with Fianna Fail, Labour and others will step in. We will ensure a pluralist option in the Labour tradition is available for voters in Northern Ireland,” Mr Howlin said.
Speaking at the culmination of the Labour Party’s national conference, Mr Howlin said he would like to hold discussions with members of the SDLP to see how they “could construct a slate of candidates that would allow people who want to express Labour values to have the option of voting for Labour candidates”.
Mr Howlin said his party had worked with the SDLP “as comrades” within the Party of European Socialists for decades.
“I think there are an awful lot of people in the SDLP who remain very loyal to Labour values,” he said.
“That’s what brought them into the SDLP in the first instance and I don’t think they should be abandoned to simply have to join Fianna Fail.”
Sources say there is considerable concern that a deal with Fianna
Fail would see the SDLP die with members being split into two factions.
The party has already lost its Westminster representation and is struggling to maintain relevance as voters focus on Sinn Fein and the DUP.
Fianna Fail sources said if they miss the opportunity to work with the SDLP now they will “never again” have such an easy route to establishing a base over the border.
However, Mr Martin knows it would be a costly exercise that comes with no guarantees. He is also facing the prospect of fighting a general election in the Republic over the coming months.
Already Claire Hanna MLA has told the BBC that she would not join Fianna Fail.
“It would be remiss of me to say that it is not a politics that appeals to me and it’s not a party I would personally join,” she said.
A number of other MLAs are understood to share that view. Some want to strengthen ties with Labour while others want a more social democratic platform.
But another source argued that if Fianna Fail used its brand in Northern Ireland it could attract new members.
Ms McAnespy ran for election in 2014 as a Sinn Fein councillor but subsequently left the party, alleging there was a culture of misogyny. She subsequently remained on Fermanagh and Omagh District Council as a independent councillor but also joined Fianna Fail.
“Sinn Fein is the only option for many at the minute but Fianna Fail is the Republican Party. It’s likely moderate people would look towards that brand,” said a source.