‘SDLP PARTNERSHIP WITH FIANNA FAIL IS ALL ABOUT US EMBRACING CHANGE’

THE SDLP was hit by a series of resignations yesterday after ratifying its partnership with Fianna Fail.

The chairpersons of the party’s Youth, Women and LGBT+ branches have resigned following Saturday’s vote to form links with Ireland’s main opposition party.

In a statement Matthew Corr, Caoimhe McNeill and Matthew Carson claimed they took the “only course of action” available to them after “procedural abuses” at the special conference in Newry, where almost 70% of members backed the move.

They have written a letter to the party’s chairman Colin McGrath to express concern over the way the meeting was convened, the process to submit motions or amendments, and the lack of notice given to members.

Despite the scathing attack, Mr Corr said all three members would continue to “campaign hard” for party candidates during the council elections in May.

It comes after former Belfast councillor Niall Kelly resigned his party membership after 14 years due to fears of an “inevitable” merger between the SDLP and Fianna Fail.

He branded the new relationship — which was proposed by SDLP leader Colum Eastwood and excludes Fine Gael and the Labour Party — a “narrow deal” which would result in “a backwards step”.

The partnership was backed by 121 votes, while an alternative motion put forward by SDLP veteran Brid Rodgers and supported by many founding grandees gained only 53 votes. It would have facilitated a wider partnership with other parties including Irish Labour and Fine Gael.

South Belfast MLA Claire Hanna is the only one of the party’s 12 elected representatives in Stormont to oppose the move.

“I came believing an exclusive arrangement was not a good idea, I have not changed my mind,” she said after the vote.

SDLP councillor Mairia Cahill is another member who is understood to be considering her options.

The Lisburn and Castlereagh representative, who only joined

the party in July last year and had previously served in the Irish Senate as a Labour representative, has contacted the party’s leader to outline her concerns.

“I haven’t heard yet how a Labour member is going to be made to feel comfortable in a partnership with Fianna Fail,” she said.

Ms Cahill warned Mr Eastwood that pushing dissenters “further away” would not be in his best interests. “I don’t think this is settled yet,” she said. “I’m considering my options on the way forward.”

Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin said that his party will provide electoral resources and know-how to the SDLP.

A merger to create an all-island party is not currently envisaged by either party.

Last night the SDLP rejected claims that proper procedures were not followed at the weekend conference.

It insisted that it afforded all of the party’s members the opportunity to speak and gave all delegates the right to vote.

“The SDLP membership overwhelmingly voted for the party to embark on a partnership with Fianna Fail,” it added.

“While that decision may be uncomfortable to accept, it is the democratically expressed wish of the party and we will see that through.”