A PROMINENT SDLP Assembly member has dramatically withdrawn a call for nationalist unity following criticism from colleagues.
North Antrim member Declan O’Loan issued a call for a single nationalist party in Northern Ireland yesterday at Stormont using his own e-mail account rather than his party’s press office.
“I believe that a major realignment of Northern nationalism is now called for and I think that this means the formation of a new single nationalist party,” he said.
“The values of the SDLP and its ability to command respect and at least second preference votes across the whole community are not something that should be lost.
“In the interests of achieving Irish unity, that respect is vital.”
He added: “Many nationalist voters are willing to exercise their votes interchangeably between the SDLP and Sinn Féin.”
Party members in North Antrim were fully behind their Assembly member’s comments, he claimed.
However furious party colleagues at Stormont demanded a retraction and the press release was withdrawn within three hours.
In another statement, Mr O’Loan said: “The statement which I issued earlier today entitled ‘O’Loan calls for formation of single nationalist party’ does not represent established party policy and I now wish to withdraw it.
“I do not wish to make any further comment on the matter.”
Party leader Margaret Ritchie, who was in London yesterday, is believed to have been behind moves to have the unity call retracted.
One Assembly colleague said of Mr O’Loan: “This was political suicide on a grand scale.”
Sinn Féin’s John O’Dowd, recalling the SDLP’s rejection of a nationalist voting pact in two constituencies in the Westminster election this month, accused the party of sending out mixed messages.
The Alliance party accused the SDLP of showing its true colours.
“This withdrawn statement exposes a side of the SDLP that they are not keen for the public to see,” Gerry Lynch said.
“Declan O’Loan’s comments show that Alliance is the only party of a united community and make any SDLP talk of a shared future sound very hollow.
“People who perhaps thought that the SDLP were opposed to tribal headcounts will be very alarmed at his remarks.”
DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds said talk of nationalist unity was in response to greater prospects of co-operation among unionists.
“When I and my colleagues were calling for unionists to work together, the SDLP branded us sectarian,” Mr Dodds said.
“Now we have one of their most senior representatives calling for a single nationalist party. Who is being sectarian now?”