Social Democratic and Labour Party facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Social Democratic and Labour Party Páirtí Sóisialta agus Daonlathach an Lucht Oibre
Abbreviation	SDLP
Leader	Colum Eastwood
Chairperson	Daniel McCrossan
Party Manager	Catherine Matthews
Founders	Gerry Fitt John Hume Ivan Cooper Austin Currie Paddy Devlin Paddy O'Hanlon Paddy Wilson
Founded	21 August 1970; 54 years ago (1970-08-21)
Preceded by	Republican Labour Party National Democratic Party
Headquarters	121 Ormeau Road Belfast BT7 1SH
Youth wing	SDLP Youth
Women's wing	SDLP Women
LGBT wing	SDLP LGBT+
Ideology	Social democracy Irish nationalism
Political position	Centre-left
European affiliation	Party of European Socialists
International affiliation	Socialist International (observer)
Colours	Green      Red
House of Commons (NI seats)	Parliament dissolved
NI Assembly	7 / 90
Local government in Northern Ireland	37 / 462
Politics of Northern Ireland Political parties

The Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) is a political party in Northern Ireland. It believes in social democracy, which means it supports fairness and equality for everyone. The party also believes in Irish nationalism, which means it wants to see a united Ireland.

The SDLP currently has seven members in the Northern Ireland Assembly (called MLAs) and two members in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom (called MPs). The party wants to see Ireland reunited. It also wants more powers to be given to Northern Ireland's government, even while it remains part of the United Kingdom.

During a difficult time known as the Troubles, the SDLP was the most popular Irish nationalist party. They were different from other parties like Sinn Féin because they always rejected violence. Sinn Féin, at that time, supported groups like the Provisional IRA. After a ceasefire in 1994, Sinn Féin became more popular than the SDLP.

History of the SDLP

Starting the Party (1970–1972)

The SDLP was created on 21 August 1970. Six members of the Parliament of Northern Ireland (called Stormont MPs) and one Senator came together to form the new party. These founders included important figures like Gerry Fitt and John Hume. Gerry Fitt was chosen as the first leader, and John Hume became his deputy.

Other smaller parties and individual members also joined the SDLP. The party first took part in an election in November 1970.

At first, the SDLP wanted to work within the Stormont government to achieve civil rights. However, they soon felt that Stormont could not be changed. They stopped attending government meetings in July 1971 after two people were shot in Derry.

In August 1971, the SDLP started a campaign of civil disobedience. This meant their members left public roles and organized a strike where people stopped paying rent and rates. SDLP MPs even went on a hunger strike outside 10 Downing Street.

The party held its first big meeting in October 1971. They decided to focus on socialist ideas and spoke out against the 11-plus exam. After the Stormont Parliament was closed in 1972, the SDLP became the main party for the nationalist community. They released a plan called "Towards a New Ireland," suggesting that the British and Irish governments should work together to run Northern Ireland.

The Sunningdale Agreement (1973–1974)

The SDLP first took part in local elections in May 1973. They won 13.4% of the votes and 82 seats. This made them the second-largest party in Northern Ireland. They became the biggest party in areas like Derry and Newry.

Sadly, in June 1973, Paddy Wilson, the party's General Secretary, was murdered. This happened just before elections for the new Northern Ireland Assembly.

In the Assembly elections held on 28 June 1973, the SDLP won 19 out of 75 seats. They increased their vote share to 22%. After this, the SDLP, the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), and the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland worked together to form a new government. This was called a "power-sharing Executive."

On 9 December, an important agreement was reached at Sunningdale. This agreement included setting up a "Council of Ireland" to help cooperation between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

The new Northern Ireland Executive started on 1 January 1974. Gerry Fitt became Deputy Chief Executive, and John Hume became Minister of Commerce. However, this new government faced a big challenge. In February 1974, a UK general election was held. People who were against power-sharing won most of the seats. The Executive collapsed after only five months due to a large strike.

Looking for Solutions (1975–1980)

After the government collapsed, the SDLP kept trying to find a long-term solution. They even held talks with the UUP. In 1977, they released a document called "Facing Reality," which focused more on the "Irish dimension" – the idea of a united Ireland. Because of this, Paddy Devlin, who was the party chairperson, resigned.

In 1978, John Hume suggested a plan for an "agreed Ireland." He wanted the British government to help bring the different traditions in Ireland together.

In 1979, Gerry Fitt resigned as SDLP leader. This happened after a disagreement about attending a conference that would not discuss an all-island solution. On 28 November, John Hume was elected as the new leader, and Seamus Mallon became his deputy.

Sinn Féin Enters the Scene (1981–1982)

In 1981, a hunger strike by prisoners had a big impact on politics. The SDLP decided not to put forward their candidate in a by-election, allowing hunger striker Bobby Sands to win. When Sands died, the SDLP again stood aside for another candidate.

The hunger strikes affected the SDLP's election results. In local elections in 1981, their vote share dropped as nationalist voters started to support parties like Sinn Féin, which was seen as the political wing of the Provisional IRA.

In 1982, the SDLP decided that if they won seats in the new Assembly, their members would not take them. In the election, the SDLP won 14 seats, but Sinn Féin also won 5 seats, showing their growing support.

The New Ireland Forum (1983–1984)

In 1983, the SDLP helped create the New Ireland Forum. This was a meeting for all democratic parties that rejected violence. The SDLP, along with major parties from the Republic of Ireland, joined the Forum. They discussed the future of the island.

In May 1984, the Forum released a report. It suggested three possible ways for a new Ireland to be structured: a single state, a federal state, or joint authority. These ideas were based on SDLP policies and influenced future discussions.

In the 1983 general election, John Hume was elected to the UK Parliament for the Foyle area. He also kept his seat in the European Parliament the next year.

The Anglo-Irish Agreement (1985–1987)

John Hume used his connections with powerful Irish-American politicians to push for a solution in Northern Ireland. These politicians encouraged British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher to work with the Irish government. This led to the Anglo-Irish Agreement being signed on 15 November 1985.

The SDLP supported this agreement, but Unionist parties strongly opposed it. Many Unionist MPs resigned their seats. In the by-elections that followed in January 1986, the SDLP won the Newry and Armagh seat.

This success continued in the 1987 general election. The SDLP's support for the agreement helped their vote share increase. They held their existing seats, and Eddie McGrady won the South Down seat.

Hume-Adams Talks (1988-1994)

In 1988, SDLP Leader John Hume began secret talks with Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams. These talks continued for several months.

In 1989, the SDLP had their best local election result ever, winning 121 seats. This was partly because voters moved away from Sinn Féin after some violent acts by the IRA. In 1992, the SDLP reached an electoral high point when Joe Hendron won the Belfast West seat from Gerry Adams. The SDLP now had four MPs.

News of the talks between Hume and Adams became public in late 1992. These talks eventually led to the Downing Street Declaration in 1993. This declaration, made by the British Prime Minister and the Irish Taoiseach, set the stage for a ceasefire and peace talks.

Throughout 1994, SDLP members continued to face attacks. On 31 August, the IRA announced a ceasefire, followed by loyalist groups. Hume, Adams, and the Irish Taoiseach met and publicly shook hands, and Hume called for peace talks to begin quickly.

The Good Friday Agreement (1995-1998)

In 1995, the SDLP continued to talk with the British and Irish governments and other parties to start formal peace talks. They suggested that former US Senator George J. Mitchell should oversee a group to deal with weapons. This led to the "Mitchell Principles," which parties had to agree to before joining talks.

In May 1996, an election was held for a "Forum" of parties involved in the talks. The SDLP won 24% of the votes and 21 seats.

In the May 1997 general election, the SDLP's vote share reached its highest level ever. However, they lost their Belfast West seat to Sinn Féin. A few weeks later, Alban Maginness became the first nationalist to be Lord Mayor of Belfast.

Peace talks started again in autumn 1997. An agreement was finally reached on 10 April 1998, when the SDLP and other parties, along with the British and Irish governments, signed the Good Friday Agreement. The SDLP strongly supported the agreement, and John Hume appeared with U2 singer Bono to encourage a "Yes" vote. The agreement was approved by a large majority in Northern Ireland. Both Hume and UUP leader David Trimble won the Nobel Peace Prize for their work on the agreement.

After the agreement, elections were held for a new Northern Ireland Assembly in June 1998. The SDLP became the second-largest party and the biggest nationalist party, winning 24 seats. Later that year, a power-sharing government was formed. The SDLP's Seamus Mallon became Deputy First Minister, working alongside the UUP's First Minister, David Trimble.

When Mallon retired in 2001, Mark Durkan took over as Deputy First Minister.

Working with Fianna Fáil

There was talk about the SDLP joining with Fianna Fáil, a major party in the Republic of Ireland. However, former SDLP leader Margaret Ritchie said this would not happen while she was leader.

In February 2019, SDLP members approved a partnership with Fianna Fáil. Both parties agreed on shared goals, like improving public services and working towards Irish reunification. However, this partnership ended officially on 28 September 2022.

In the UK Parliament

Unlike Sinn Féin, SDLP MPs have always taken their seats in the UK Parliament. The party's first MP was leader Gerry Fitt. The SDLP had its best result in 1992, winning four seats. In 2017, they lost all their seats, but in 2019, they won two seats back.

SDLP MPs protest the oath they must take to the Queen. In 2019, leader Colum Eastwood said he took the oath "under protest" and that his true loyalty was to the people of Derry and Ireland.

Proposed Dáil Participation

The SDLP has long wanted their MPs to have speaking rights in Dáil Éireann, the Irish parliament. In 2005, the Irish Prime Minister suggested this, but other parties in the Republic and Unionists in Northern Ireland opposed it, so the plan was dropped.

Remembrance Day 2010

On Remembrance Day in 2010, party leader Margaret Ritchie became the first leader of a nationalist party to wear a poppy at a ceremony. The poppy is worn to remember fallen British soldiers and is a sensitive symbol in Northern Ireland. Her actions were praised by unionists.

Leadership Changes (2011–2015)

In 2011, Margaret Ritchie faced a challenge to her leadership. Alasdair McDonnell became her successor after an election in November 2011.

In 2015, Colum Eastwood challenged McDonnell and became the new leader of the party.

What the SDLP Believes In

The SDLP is a social democratic party. This means they believe in fairness, equality, and helping everyone in society. They are against austerity (government spending cuts) and Brexit (the UK leaving the European Union). As an Irish nationalist party, they want to create a shared home for all people on the island of Ireland.

The party supports LGBT rights, including marriage equality and LGBT education in schools. They are against xenophobia (dislike of people from other countries) and want to create a welcoming environment for immigrants. The SDLP also supports an Irish Language Act to protect and promote the Irish language.

The SDLP believes that 3,000 affordable homes should be built every year. They are against the "gig economy" and zero-hour contracts, which can make it hard for people to have stable jobs. They also oppose cuts to welfare benefits.

While they don't support academic selection for schools, they don't want to get rid of grammar schools. They want to end tuition fees for university. The party also wants to make learning a modern language and maths compulsory until age 18.

They believe that the Magee campus in Derry should be expanded to have 10,000 student places.

The party supports a "green corporate levy" on businesses that produce a lot of greenhouse gases. They also want a strategy for green jobs. They believe a climate emergency should be declared, and the government should aim for net zero emissions.

Party Leaders

Colum Eastwood is the sixth leader of the SDLP. He took over from Alasdair McDonnell in 2015.

Leaders of the SDLP

No.	Portrait	Leader	Period	Important Roles
1		Gerry Fitt	1970–1979	MP for Belfast Dock (Stormont Parliament) MP for Belfast West (UK Parliament)
2		John Hume	1979–2001	MP for Foyle (Stormont Parliament) MEP for Northern Ireland (European Parliament) MP for Foyle (UK Parliament) MLA for Foyle (NI Assembly)
3		Mark Durkan	2001–2010	MLA for Foyle (NI Assembly) MP for Foyle (UK Parliament)
4		Margaret Ritchie	2010–2011	MLA for South Down (NI Assembly) MP for South Down (UK Parliament)
5		Alasdair McDonnell	2011–2015	MLA for Belfast South (NI Assembly) MP for Belfast South (UK Parliament)
6		Colum Eastwood	2015–present	MLA for Foyle (NI Assembly) MP for Foyle (UK Parliament)

Deputy Leaders

No.	Portrait	Deputy Leader	Period	Important Roles	Leader
1		John Hume	1970–1979	MP for Foyle (Stormont Parliament) MEP for Northern Ireland (European Parliament) MP for Foyle (UK Parliament) MLA for Foyle (NI Assembly)	Gerry Fitt
2		Seamus Mallon	1979–2001	MP for Newry and Armagh (UK Parliament) MLA for Newry and Armagh (NI Assembly)	John Hume
3		Bríd Rodgers	2001–2004	MLA for Upper Bann (NI Assembly)	Mark Durkan
4		Alasdair McDonnell	2004–2010	MLA for Belfast South (NI Assembly) MP for Belfast South (UK Parliament)
5		Patsy McGlone	2010–2011	MLA for Mid-Ulster (NI Assembly)	Margaret Ritchie
6		Dolores Kelly	2011–2015	MLA for Upper Bann (NI Assembly)	Alasdair McDonnell
7		Fearghal McKinney	2015–2016	MLA for Belfast South (NI Assembly)	Colum Eastwood
		Position Vacant	2016-2017
8		Nichola Mallon	2017–2022	MLA for Belfast North (NI Assembly)
		Position Vacant	2022-2023
Position Abolished

Elected Members

The SDLP currently has two MPs in the UK Parliament, seven MLAs in the Northern Ireland Assembly, and 39 councillors in local councils across Northern Ireland.

MPs in the UK Parliament

MLAs in the Northern Ireland Assembly

Other Spokespeople (Councillors)

Election Results

When it was formed, the SDLP quickly became the second-largest party in Northern Ireland. It was also the biggest nationalist party. This continued until the early 2000s. In the 1998 Assembly election, it even received the most votes overall, becoming the biggest party for the first time. This was their highest point in terms of seats.

After John Hume retired in 2001, the party's support slowly started to decline. In the 2001 and 2003 elections, Sinn Féin won more seats and votes than the SDLP for the first time. This trend continued. In the 2004 European elections, the SDLP lost the seat that John Hume had held since 1979, with Sinn Féin winning it. The party's vote numbers continued to drop in the 2011 and 2016 Assembly elections.

In the 2017 Assembly election, the SDLP kept its 12 seats. This was a good result because the total number of seats in the Assembly had been reduced. However, in the 2017 general election, the SDLP lost all three of its UK Parliament seats. This was their worst result ever.

In the 2019 European election, party leader Colum Eastwood ran. He increased his party's vote, but still did not win a seat. Later that year, in the 2019 general election, the party won back two seats in Belfast South and Foyle. They also saw their overall vote share increase across Northern Ireland.

In the 2022 Assembly election, the SDLP became the 5th largest party, winning only eight seats.

Some people see the SDLP as mainly representing the Catholic middle class, especially in rural areas. However, the SDLP disagrees, pointing to their strong support in Derry and their win in South Belfast in the 2005 election. They also published a document before that election outlining their plans for a united Ireland. Because their support has declined outside of a few strong areas, some people jokingly call the party the "South Down and Londonderry Party."

Northern Ireland Assembly Elections

Election Year	Leader	Votes		Seats Won		Position	Government Role
		Number	Percentage	Number	Change
1973	Gerry Fitt	159,773	22.1%	19 / 78	19	2nd	Part of government
1975		156,049	23.7%	17 / 78	2	2nd	No government
1982	John Hume	118,891	18.8%	14 / 78	3	3rd	No government
1996		160,786	21.4%	21 / 110	7	3rd	No government
1998		177,963	22.0%	24 / 108	3	2nd	Part of government
2003	Mark Durkan	117,547	17.0%	18 / 108	6	4th	No government
2007		105,164	15.2%	16 / 108	2	4th	Part of government
2011	Margaret Ritchie	94,286	14.2%	14 / 108	2	4th	Part of government
2016	Colum Eastwood	83,364	12.0%	12 / 108	2	4th	In opposition
2017		95,958	11.9%	12 / 90		3rd	Part of government
2022		78,237	9.1%	8 / 90	4	5th	In opposition

UK Parliament Elections

SDLP seats in UK Parliament elections from 1997 to 2019.

Election Year	Leader	Votes		Seats Won		Position	Government Role
		Number	Percentage	Number	Change
Feb 1974	Gerry Fitt	160,137	22.4%	1 / 12	1	3rd	In opposition
Oct 1974		154,193	22.0%	1 / 12		3rd	In opposition
1979		126,325	18.2%	1 / 12		3rd	In opposition
1983	John Hume	137,012	17.9%	1 / 17		3rd	In opposition
1987		154,067	21.1%	3 / 17	2	2nd	In opposition
1992		184,445	23.5%	4 / 17	1	2nd	In opposition
1997		190,814	24.1%	3 / 18	1	2nd	In opposition
2001		169,865	21.0%	3 / 18		4th	In opposition
2005	Mark Durkan	125,626	17.5%	3 / 18		3rd	In opposition
2010	Margaret Ritchie	110,970	16.5%	3 / 18		3rd	In opposition
2015	Alasdair McDonnell	99,809	13.9%	3 / 18		3rd	In opposition
2017	Colum Eastwood	95,419	11.7%	0 / 18	3		No seats
2019		118,737	14.9%	2 / 18	2	3rd	In opposition

Local Government Elections

Election Year	Leader	Votes		Seats Won		Position
		Number	Percentage	Number	Change
1973	Gerry Fitt	92,600	13.4%	82 / 517	82	2nd
1977		114,775	20.6%	113 / 526	31	2nd
1981	John Hume	116,487	17.5%	104 / 526	9	3rd
1985		113,967	17.8%	102 / 565	2	3rd
1989		129,557	21.0%	121 / 565	19	2nd
1993		136,760	22.0%	127 / 582	6	2nd
1997		130,387	21.0%	120 / 575	7	2nd
2001		153,424	19.0%	117 / 582	3	3rd
2005	Mark Durkan	121,991	17.4%	101 / 582	16	4th
2011	Margaret Ritchie	99,325	15.0%	87 / 583	14	4th
2014	Alasdair McDonnell	85,237	13.6%	66 / 462	21	4th
2019	Colum Eastwood	81,419	12.0%	59 / 462	7	4th
2023		64,996	8.7%	39 / 462	20	5th

European Elections

Election Year	Leader	Votes		Seats Won		Position
		Number	Percentage	Number	Change
1979	Gerry Fitt	140,622	25.5%	1 / 3	1	2nd
1984	John Hume	151,399	22.1%	1 / 3		2nd
1989		136,335	25.0%	1 / 3		2nd
1994		161,992	28.9%	1 / 3		2nd
1999		190,731	28.1%	1 / 3		2nd
2004	Mark Durkan	87,559	15.9%	0 / 3	1	4th
2009		78,489	16.1%	0 / 3		4th
2014	Alasdair McDonnell	81,594	13.0%	0 / 3		4th
2019	Colum Eastwood	78,589	13.7%	0 / 3		4th

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See also

• Demography and politics of Northern Ireland
• Labour Party in Northern Ireland