An MLA since 2003, Patsy McGlone will retire at the end of this Assembly mandate. He is the SDLP’s longest-serving politician in the Assembly, and has been described as a ‘stalwart’.
The current deputy lord mayor of Belfast, councillor Paul Doherty, has left the SDLP with immediate effect, following a council motion on the erection of a Bobby Sands statue in Twinbrook.
Stormont’s standards watchdog has found that SDLP MLA and Leader of the Opposition Matthew O’Toole breached rule 12 of the MLA code of conduct when he revealed that he had submitted a complaint against Communities Minister Gordon Lyons last year.
The Alliance Party has seen their support drop to it’s lowest in five years, they’ve been overtaken by the Ulster Unionist Party and Traditional Unionist Voice remain ahead of them, leaving them in fifth place.
Causeway Coast and Glens councillor Margaret Anne McKillop has resigned from the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) due to their position on abortion. In 2013 she joined the SDLP after quitting Sinn Féin for the same reason.
Erne East Councillor Garbhán McPhilips has left the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) and will continue the rest of his term as an independent. He replaced his father in 2016 and was re-elected in 2023.
Aurla King has been announced as the Social Democratic and Labour Party’s new councillor on Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, following the resignation of Gareth Sharvin, who is resigning after almost 15 years of service.
Foyle MP Colum Eastwood will not be running in the Irish presidential election later this year as it is “not the right time to stand” according to BBC News NI. The former SDLP leader was planning on running as an independent candidate with support from political parties.
Sinn Fein have seen a drop in support by two points in a recent poll by LucidTalk, but they are still maintaining their lead over the DUP, who are also down one point. The UUP and TUV are the only two parties from the main five to see a rise in support.
