By Nicholas Hunter

Background Information SDLP means The Social Democratic and Labour Party Linked with the Irish and British Labour Parties Formed by Civil Rights groups during the Troubles One of the most important parties to contribute to peace over the past 30 years Current leader is Dr Alastair McDonnell They were the biggest nationalist party during the troubles

History of the SDLP Founded in 1970 when six Stormont MPS and a senator joined together to create a political party. First leader was Gerry Fitt with John Hume as Deputy. The SDLP has been proudly nationalist and fully committed to a just and reconciled Ireland. As members of the Party of European Socialists and Socialists International, we are also solidly internationalist and strongly social democratic in our outlook. Following Gerry Fitt’s resignation in 1979, John Hume became Leader and Seamus Mallon, Deputy Leader - positions they held for twenty-one years. Mark Durkan succeed Mr Hume with Brid Rodgers as his deputy. When Brid stood down she was replaced by Dr Alasdair McDonnell in February John Hume seat in the Foyle was held by Mark Durkan while Dr Alastair McDonnell was victorious in South Belfast to become the first nationalist MP for that constituency Lost ground to Sinn Fein after the Irish Republican Army Ceasefire They have 14 MLAS in the NI Assembly and 3 MPS in the House of Commons

How it reacted to the Good Friday Agreement The SDLP is determined to deliver all of the Good Friday Agreement. We believe in each and every one of its key principles. As a truly republican party, we stand by the will of the Irish people, North and South, who voted for it. We have kept the pressure on the problem parties to live up to the two key principles at the heart of the Good Friday Agreement: an inclusive democracy and a lawful society. And we have succeeded in undoing a lot of the damage done to the Agreement by the flawed Sinn Fein /DUP Comprehensive Agreement of But there is more work to do. The SDLP will continue to stand strong for the Good Friday Agreement and seek its full implementation and development, including delivery of commitments in the Agreement and St. Andrews on: North South cooperation; Human rights; Equality; Demilitarisation; A shared future; Victims; The Irish language. The SDLP remains equally committed to keeping pressure on all paramilitary groups - loyalists and dissident republicans - to decommission all their weapons and end all activity. See our proposals for further North South engagement "SDLP submission to the North South Review Phase II: future developments of North South", "North South: No Going Back, Full Steam Ahead" and “North South Makes Sense”

How has it evolved since Since the retirement of John Hume, SDLP has lost their spirit to win over the hearts of the nationalists. They are now become increasingly marginalises compared to Sinn Fein The Social Democratic and Labour Party is become increasingly popular for women. The fact that the SDLP wasn’t changed a lot indicated why they are the second biggest nationalists party behind Sinn Fein.

Elections results from 1998 to present At the Northern Ireland Forum elections in 1996, the SDLP received 21.37% of the vote, giving it 21 seats. However, by the end of 1996, after the collapse of the IRA ceasefire, the public had become increasingly uncertain and sceptical about the impasse in Northern Irish politics. As a result their pole lost their seat in Belfast West to Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams and their party polled 24.1% of the vote in the 1997 elections Display below indicates how SDLP results has fallen

Strengths of the SDLP Oppose to paramilitary violence unlike Sinn Fein Don’t have the burden of the past unlike the Democratic Unionist Party Have a brief history of cooperation with all types of unionists Tradition promote peace and reconciliation

Challenges for the SDLP Audience base is very narrow- Base is focus on middle classed Catholics. Voter are more concentrated in rural areas and the professional classes rather than the vehicle of nationalism Have little say in Westminster as they only have a small margin of MPs in the house of commons. So they find it hard to keep Nationalism on the agenda Their election results are continuing to suffer because Sinn Fein is the dominate Nationalist Party. Need to promote themselves as the party for government The SDLP have also appeared foolish in some of their decisions. Their appointment of lacklustre leaders fails to inspire. Damaging gaffes such as Alasdair McDonnell's opening speech on being elected ; his failure to court the UUP into a joint approach and his defence of MLA's pay have only served to deepen divisions. Finally, the SDLP decided whether to create an opposition that will lose short term political power but gain the long term power