Councillor Margaret Anne McKillop has quit the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) after she said party members ‘celebrated the loss of unborn life’ at their party conference last weekend.
McKillop joined the SDLP in 2013 after leaving Sinn Féin due to their support for abortion. She has represented The Glens DEA on Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council since it’s formation in 2015.
Speaking to the Irish News, she revealed that she could no longer remain in the party as it’s ‘no longer recognisable’ from when she joined.
“When I joined the SDLP in 2013, I was proud to stand for a pro-life party. When the party voted to change its position to be pro-choice, I believed differing views could be respected and held in good conscience. Over the years, I tried to hold onto that hope. But today, the party is no longer recognisable from the one I joined. The space for pro-life voices has all but disappeared.”
– Cllr Margaret Anne McKillop, via Irish News
In 2020, Coleraine councillor Stephanie Quigley quit the SDLP also over their stance on abortion. This leaves the party with two councillors on Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, in Limavady and Benbradagh.
McKillop has confirmed that she will continue as an independent councillor, “staying true to the values that brought me into politics.”
A spokesman for the SDLP said: “As part of SDLP conference we hear motions from across the party on a wide range of issues and encourage democratic debate.
“We acknowledge Councillor McKillop’s decision and wish her well in the future.”
Earlier this month, the SDLP saw councillor Garbhán McPhillips leave the party after expressing concern about the direction it is headed and the atmosphere. However, party leader Claire Hanna rebuked his claims, saying he didn’t engage with the party in the time she was leader.
