Colum Eastwood facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Colum Eastwood
|
|
|---|---|
Eastwood in 2023
|
|
| Leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party | |
| In office 14 November 2015 – 5 October 2024 |
|
| Deputy | Fearghal McKinney Nichola Mallon |
| Preceded by | Alasdair McDonnell |
| Succeeded by | Claire Hanna |
| Member of Parliament for Foyle |
|
| Assumed office 12 December 2019 |
|
| Preceded by | Elisha McCallion |
| Majority | 4,166 (10.9%) |
| Member of the Legislative Assembly for Foyle |
|
| In office 5 May 2011 – 12 December 2019 |
|
| Preceded by | Pól Callaghan |
| Succeeded by | Sinead McLaughlin |
| Mayor of Derry | |
| In office June 2010 – June 2011 |
|
| Preceded by | Paul Fleming |
| Succeeded by | Maurice Devenney |
| Member of Derry City Council |
|
| In office 5 May 2005 – 22 May 2014 |
|
| Preceded by | William O'Connell |
| Succeeded by | Council abolished |
| Constituency | Shantallow |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 30 April 1983 Derry, Northern Ireland |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Political party | Social Democratic and Labour Party |
| Spouse |
Rachael Eastwood
(m. 2013; sep. 2022) |
| Children | 2 |
| Residences | Derry, Northern Ireland |
Colum Eastwood, born on April 30, 1983, is an Irish politician. He was the leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) from 2015 to 2024. Since 2019, he has been a Member of Parliament (MP) for the Foyle area.
Before becoming an MP, Colum Eastwood was a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly from 2011 to 2019. He also served on the Derry City Council from 2005 to 2011.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Colum Eastwood was born in Derry, a city in Northern Ireland. He went to St John's Primary School and then to St Columb's College in Derry.
Later, he attended the University of Liverpool. There, he studied Latin American Studies.
Political Journey
Colum Eastwood joined the SDLP in 1998 when he was just 14 years old. He joined to support the Good Friday Agreement, which was a peace agreement for Northern Ireland. He was inspired by important political figures like John Hume and Seamus Mallon.
Starting in Local Government
In 2005, at the age of 22, he was elected to the Derry City Council. This was his first step into politics.
In June 2010, he became the Mayor of Derry for one year. At 27, he was the youngest person to hold this position in the city's history.
Serving in the Northern Ireland Assembly
After being elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly in May 2011, Colum Eastwood took on several important roles. He represented the SDLP on a committee that worked with the First Minister and deputy First Minister.
He also served on committees for Standards and Privileges, and the Environment. He was a private secretary to the Minister of the Environment, Alex Attwood. He was re-elected to the Assembly in both 2016 and 2017.
Becoming a Member of Parliament
On December 12, 2019, Colum Eastwood was elected as a Member of Parliament for Foyle. He won by a large number of votes against the Sinn Féin candidate, Elisha McCallion.
He was the first new MP from the 2019 election to give his first speech in the House of Commons. In November 2020, he asked for a full investigation into the murder of a lawyer named Pat Finucane.
Colum Eastwood was re-elected as an MP in the 2024 general election. When he took the Oath of Allegiance to King Charles III, he said it was an "empty formula." He explained that he took the oath "under protest" so he could represent the people in his area in Parliament.
Leading the SDLP
After some difficult election results for the SDLP in 2014 and 2015, the party's then-leader, Alasdair McDonnell, faced calls to step down.
At the SDLP's yearly meeting on November 14, 2015, Colum Eastwood ran for the leadership position. He won the election, beating Alasdair McDonnell by 172 votes to 133.
In July 2021, Colum Eastwood used his parliamentary privilege in the House of Commons. This allowed him to name 'Soldier F' in connection with the Bloody Sunday events.
In August 2024, Colum Eastwood announced that he would step down as leader. Claire Hanna took over as the new leader at the SDLP Conference on October 5, 2024.
Personal Life
Colum Eastwood married Rachael Parkes in December 2013. They divorced in the summer of 2022. They have two daughters together.
