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John Hume being congratulated by fellow members of the European Parliament in 1998 on being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to find a peaceful solution to the conflict in Northern Ireland
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Mr John Hume is to step down as leader of the SDLP. At a press conference today, Mr Hume said that his decision to step down resulted from concerns about his health. Last year, Mr Hume stood down from the Northern Ireland Assembly. He has been leader of the SDLP since 1979.
Northern Ireland Deputy First Minister Mr Seamus Mallon and Finance Minister Mr Mark Durkan tonight emerged as leading contenders for the leadership of the party after Mr Hume's decision to quit the post.
As the British government contemplated a third suspension of the North's political institutions over the issue of IRA arms, Mr Mallon and Mr Durkan were tipped as the front-runners to succeed the 64-year-old MP at the helm of the nationalist party.
Just hours after announcing his decision at Stormont, Mr Hume would not be drawn tonight on who his successor should be.
The Foyle MP said the challenge facing the next leader would be to ensure the Belfast Agreement was implemented "in all its aspects so we can build real politics, working together for our common interests - specifically economic".
Stressing he would continue to play a key role for the party in Westminster and at the European Parliament, Mr Hume, who is credited as a key architect of the peace process, admitted he had been thinking about resigning "for some time.
"Obviously I had serious health problems for some time and it was quite clear that one of the reasons was that I had to reduce my workload which is very, very substantial. "I thought long and hard about it and decided the time had come by this party conference to retire as leader."
He received the Nobel Peace Prize in December 1998 alongside Ulster Unionist leader Mr David Trimble following the signing of the Belfast Agreement in April of that year.
PA