SDLP can be proud of its first 50 years

As the SDLP celebrates its 50th anniversary, there was a time not so long ago when it seemed that we would be writing the party’s political obituary.

Instead, after a resurgence at the last Westminster election which saw it return two MPS, including recapturing its flagship Foyle seat from Sinn Fein, it might argue that it was merely going through a midlife crisis.

While there is no denying Sinn Fein’s electoral dominance, the SDLP still has a core constituency that is proving resilient.

It is a party which can point proudly to its history since its formation in August 1970.

Its opposition to violence from whatever quarter it came was unwavering and it showed its belief in the power of peaceful democratic politics by taking part in the first power-sharing Executive in 1974, which was brought down by the loyalist strike that literally put out the lights all over Northern Ireland.

This stance was to have serious consequences for many of its members, ironically most directly from within the republican community.

The party’s first leader and West Belfast MP Gerry Fitt was forced out of his home, which was burned to the ground, and fellow founding member Paddy Devlin had to flee his home also.

Other party stalwarts including Alban Maginness, Alistair Mcdonnell, Joe Hendron and deputy leader Seamus Mallon each lived under a constant barrage of threats and taunts from republicans and loyalists.

But the SDLP stuck to its metaphorical peace-seeking guns while others on both sides of the community retained their real arsenals.

Through its much-lauded and recently deceased leader John Hume the party took the quest for civil rights for all and a more cohesive society to Europe and America, and Hume was later credited with devising the peace process that eventually persuaded the men of violence to lay down their weapons.

His talks to bring Sinn Fein in from the cold sparked anger from unionists, and also from within his own party. They could read the runes. As Sinn Fein dragged its feet over decommissioning it won more and more concessions from the British Government and the peacemakers were sidelined, with inevitable electoral results.

But the SDLP can still claim it restored the primacy of politics over the gun and gave us all a chance of a better life.