Picture by Merrionstreet.ie
A not too regular occurrence: the SDLP have been hitting headlines, yep headlines! For a while there I thought they had left politics, I thought they had gone. Then a bolt out of the blue! Alasdair McDonnell in his comments last week and the leadership challenge of Colum Eastwood has been attracting the attention of media and political commentators. The up and coming leadership challenge will probably continue to stay in the media as the fractured party revert to back stabbing, attack and counterattack. What confuses me is those who are coming out backing McDonnell’s leadership – do they really care for the party? How can they justify McDonnell’s leadership? – it’s a failed leadership. The SDLP are in a worse position now than they’ve ever been – the SDLP are going one direction and I’ts down.
Personally, I don’t think a leadership change will do anything for the SDLP – the SDLP have gone beyond the realm of the notion that change brings results. Equally, no change is as damaging to the SDLP, which illustrates the SDLP can’t do much to reinvigorate or reinvent the party. A leadership challenge may bring some excitement within the party, but in essence, excitement and the SDLP doesn’t resonate with the electorate. I’ve read in previous days about the feasibility of Colum Eastwood challenging McDonnell – is he the right man? Is there anyone else there? Is it a case of, he’s young – he might attract a more youthful vote – is it that simple? NO. The SDLP are a party that not only lacks leadership, but lacks party members, capable of moving the party forward and lacks any real appeal to youth or the general nationalist electorate. Can Eastwood change this lack of appeal? Well, he hasn’t so far as an MLA and ex- mayor of Derry.
I nearly choked the other day when I heard Colum Eastwood mention that “United Ireland” words – ok, he may be greener than Alasdair but the party faithful have so long forgotten that concept, long forgotten since Hume talked about entering a phase of “post-Nationalism.” Long forgotten since the SDLP became an irrelevance in northern politics. Other than Colum Eastwood mentioning a United Ireland last week, when was it previously mentioned by the SDLP? Yes, it’s in their manifesto and forms a feature of their website – but as a nationalist party (or are they?) surely this ideal should form part of their daily thinking. Did Colum think by bandying this word around it would attract people to the SDLP or would it do his campaign for leadership a favour? What did he even mean by a “progressive Nationalism”? Sounds good, doesn’t it? But is this all talk?
The problem for Colum and the SDLP is their irrelevance and insignificance – in consecutive elections, their vote has declined and sitting somewhere around 13.9% in the 2015 general election. Ok, they retained their 3 MPs, but lost 11,000 voters. Next time around, will they manage this? Since their peak vote in 1997, the SDLP have lost the guts of 90,000 voters!! That’s a startling statistic. In the next Assembly elections, whenever they are, this could add another nail to their coffin – I can’t see how they can regain lost territory, particularly if McDonnell is leader, a leader not even in the Assembly. I can’t see how the Nationalist electorate can be won over by a party that is more concerned with survival than expanding and leading. A party whose daily diet consists of attacking SF, yet can’t provide credible alternatives. As the Nationalist vote declines, their political influence, once fundamental to the north, is merely dead. The SDLP are in a worse position now that they have ever been – is this just Alasdair McDonnell’s fault? Probably not. He’s had a part to play but the party faithful must bear some responsibility. The leadership debate that emerges will only damage and split the party further, preventing any chance it had of reconciling – who really wants to vote for a divided party, with no vision, direction or leadership?
A simple question I have: what is the point of the SDLP? The SDLP through the GFA achieved many of their objectives, namely, devolved power, power sharing, a role for the Irish government in the politics of the north and recognition of the principle of consent. Did they ever really want a United Ireland? Have the SDLP gone beyond their sell-by date?
As FF enter into northern politics in 2019, I feel their only progress will be taking SDLP ground and adding to their demise – the SDLP is in terminal decline, their reason for existence is unclear, their direction unclearer. What is certain is the inevitability of a party who can be credited with bringing the republican movement in from the cold, but will itself now struggle to survive out in the cold! The SDLP will continue its steady decline, it will remain a lacklustre party. And the political wilderness, in my opinion, will speed up the slow death of the SDLP.
Lets hope whoever does win, they are more careful with the lighting or have some sunglasses on standby. Those are the real issues after all
Jessica, Has to be one of worst moments at a party political conference – think instead of the vision of the leadership being affected by lighting, the party “vision” is creating a lightning effect of decline!
Please note “progressive United Ireland” should read “progressive Nationalism”
Sinn Fein have made many attempts to bring protestants into the national debate, inviting them to speak at their ard fheis etc…
I wonder is this new “progressive Nationalism” an acceptance that their “post nationalism” policy was a complete disaster for them and a signal that they are going to follow in Sinn Feins footsteps to promote new ireland more inclusive for protestants and those brought up within traditionally unionist communities.
Of course, they would have to dress it up, add a few tweaks to make it appear as new and innovative thinking from a revamped party on the up.
But on the bright side, they can do all this from the comfort of their offices without having to actually go and engage too much with the actual working class communities on the ground even though they would really really like their votes.
This may appeal to the mary jos out there though so their will definitely be a place for them.
“A simple question I have, what is the point of the SDLP?” Much as I admire the transition Sinn Fein has made from violent to peaceful means, I must acknowledge that many nationalists still deplore their history of violence and prefer to vote for a party or for candidates that don’t have blood on their hands. It makes the SDLP very relevant for those who remember and who continue to care about such matters.
Mary, I accept your point – but, using this as the only reason for voting the SDLP and ignoring the many problems of the party – is this political naivety? When I talk of the point of the SDLP – their decline is an illustration that they’ve have lost appeal – I would be right in saying that the older generation would be where the SDLP derives much of its vote – hardly inspiring to look to the future for the SDLP – the SDLPs lack of vision and very often their reactionary politics is doing it more harm than good – I often find myself asking the question – what is the point in this party? Have they outlived their life?
Sinn Fein’s history of violence??? It is a political party Mary Jo. The ‘history of violence’ is unfortunately part of Irish history it does not belong to a political party. SDLP is really irrelevant now as the white Catholic middle class has no identity as a group. The people who sit back and bring up the past when talking about the future have nothing meaningful to add to Ireland’s future, and I would lob in the fundamentalist/anti-Sinn Fein Catholic middle class in that grouping; hopefully they will not pass on their outlook to the next generation of voters and they are a very small grouping.
Exactly Mary Jo.
If we can have a monster raving loony party, then why not an SDLP?
As you say, not everyone can let go of their past, even if it were in the best interests of their children and childrens children and so on.
The SDLP supported the violence of the state – Eddie McGrady praised the RUC when they killed IRA Volunteer Colm Marks in Downpatrick. Seamus Mallon also called for people to give info to RUC and sure we all NOW accept they were up to their necks in collusion etc. Just 2 examples of the SDLP attitude to violence.
Gerard spot on. I feel the SDLP lost sight of their origins many years ago. They spend more time chastising SF than much else. No party is above scrutiny, but picking and choosing who and what to condemn smacks of political opportunism as opposed to real outrage
Ciaran, a very clear analysis of some detail which I think was written as much in sorrow as in anger.
Part of the present problem for the SDLP, both for their survival and their leadership contest, is that good long-standing members are legally not allowed to give the reason for their discontent, and this is skewing the debate, with members trying to give other reasons/excuses for their eagerness to execute a palace coup.
There is, or should be, a place for a new SDLP, but as yet we have seen and heard no idea of what it might be, and until someone with that vision steps forward, I have to agree with your terminal prognosis!
decline all round once they impose the cuts they all voted for,
He may talk about a united Ireland. But in the next breath, or was it the one before, he was advocating a re-vamped Stormont in which the party would initially be part of an opposition. In other words a return to majoritarian politics in the North in defiance of the fundamental ethos of the GFA. If that is all the SDLP can contribute to Irish nationalist politics – and it is – then good riddance to them. I have always believed that the craven attitude of the SDLP held back progress and prolonged the conflict. They, and most of the Catholic hierarchy, were always on hand to give succour to political unionism and to the British.
a united ireland cant happen under the gfa.maybe if he lays the truth out this is as good as it gets he can keep his snout in the trough until he retires in 40 odd yrs,voters have nothing to vote for the decline is terminal for all parties,
Yes, One minute they are irish, next british.
Between them and the DUP, there is some mean hokey cokeying going on.
Peter and Alisdair for next years strictly come dancing perhaps?
Excellent piece,Enjoyed reading it.Brings the stark reality that the SDLP are in a cul da sac with nowhere to go. Seamus Mallons recent comments typify how the SDLP feel – instead of dealing with circumstances, they are in the corner crying about a bygone era – the SDLP have forgotten who they are, an identity crisis – until they work out who they are, no one will be able to work them out.
Mallon in particular is/was vehementally anti republican . He seems quite cozy with his place in the statelet. Perhaps he was playing both sides