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Claire Hanna MP Alamy Stock Photo

Claire Hanna set to become SDLP leader after clean sweep of party constituency nominations

She said the party must have “the humility to recognise that we have to work harder”.

CLAIRE HANNA IS set to be the next leader of the SDLP in Northern Ireland after being the only candidate to receive enough nominations from the party’s constituency branches. 

The Belfast South Down MP declared her intention to seek the leadership of the party last week, saying that people are “losing faith that Stormont and politics more generally will deliver for them”.

She made the announcement following the resignation of Colum Eastwood as leader.

Eastwood said he had “absolutely no doubt in my mind that Claire Hanna has what it takes to be the leader of the SDLP”.

“She would be far and away the best option for the members,” he added.

When announcing her candidacy, Hanna said people in Northern Ireland are faced with failing public services and “a politics driven by division, dysfunction and pettiness”, while noting that the SDLP had faced challenges.

She said the party must have “the humility to recognise that we have to work harder to resonate with people and earn future electoral success”.

“We have to listen more, organise better, and offer a fresh, compelling message of optimism and clarity of purpose.”

In a statement today, the party said: “The SDLP Management Committee met this afternoon and determined that Claire Hanna will now proceed for ratification by party members as the next Leader of the SDLP at the Party Conference on 5 October 2024.”

Candidates must receive the nomination of at least six branches or recognised groups of the party and Hanna received the nomination of every one. 

 

 

 

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    Mute 9QRixo8H
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    Sep 6th 2024, 3:17 PM

    Can’t see her party making gains. SF and the DUP have unemployment at 2%, house prices are two to three times cheaper, and their taxes are much lower. They’re doing something right.

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    Mute DJ D
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    Sep 6th 2024, 6:02 PM

    @9QRixo8H: Certain things/items might be cheaper in the North but you forgot that wages are shyte

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    Mute John Moore
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    Sep 6th 2024, 7:41 PM

    @9QRixo8H: It’s because nobody wants to live there. It’s ann economic death hole. Unemployment is also not at 2%. It’s a joke. It’s 2% of the people who are looking for work that are unemployed. But if you are not looking for work you are not classed as such. In other words just sitting around not even looking for work and you are not classed as unemployed. It’s a nonsense. What’s known as the employment rate is only at 71%. A huge chunk of the jobs that are there are civil service jobs. Presentations of data can achieve wonders.

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    Mute Brian
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    Sep 6th 2024, 11:17 PM

    @John Moore: That includes people who are retired, in full-time education, sick or disabled and those with caring responsibilities.. misrepresentation of data can indeed achieve wonders for someone with an agenda and BS argument.

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    Mute sean weir
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    Sep 7th 2024, 9:08 AM

    @DJ D: agreed the standard of living is way below the rest of us ,wages are very low ,why do you think we have so many trades from the north on sites down here

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    Mute Harry Callahan
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    Sep 6th 2024, 5:35 PM

    Clean sweep because she was the only one naive enough to put her name forward. The party is in terminal decline along with the UUP.

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    Mute Padraig O'Brien
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    Sep 6th 2024, 7:47 PM

    So no one else wanted the job!

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    Mute Dominic Leleu
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    Sep 7th 2024, 12:35 PM

    I have to say when the situation is desperate and no one want the job, it’s nearly always a woman that have the balls to take over

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