SDLP Foyle MP Mark Durkan.
The SDLP in Derry is licking its wounds after the party’s poorest performance in a local government election since it was formed over 40 years ago.
While the election of prominent dissident republican supporter, Gary Donnelly, grabbed the headlines in the election for the new Derry-Strabane “Super Council,” the loss of three SDLP seats to Independents has a number of senior members of the party privately expressing concern about former leader Mark Durkan being able to retain his Foyle Westminster seat in next year’s General Election.
For the first time since it fought an election in 1973, the SDLP is not the largest party in Derry – that honour now lies with Sinn Fein who will have 16 councillors compared to the SDLP’s 10 when Derry City and Strabane District Councils amalgamate on 1 April next year.
Add to that, the row with Jimmy Carr, from whom the SDLP withdrew its support only 48 hours before voters went to the polls, and the very public “falling out” between the party’s candidate in Sperrin, Patsy Kelly, and Jim Hume, father-in-law of SDLP candidate Patrick Leonard and brother of John Hume, during yesterday’s count – which resulted in Mr Hume being asked to leave the count centre at Templemore Sports Complex – and it is not surprising senior members in the party are concerned about next year’s election.
Sandra Duffy (left) is congratulated by Sinn Fein MEP Martina Anderson on being the first candidate elected on to the new council, topping the poll in Ballyarnett.
One senior SDLP member conceded the party’s performance had “put pressure” on Mr Durkan to retain his Westminster seat.
Mr Durkan, a former SDLP party chairperson, has comfortably held the Foyle seat since succeeding John Hume in 2005 when his 21,119 votes equated to 46.3 per cent of the poll.
In the last General Election in 2010, his 16,922 votes was 4,824 ahead of his nearest rival, Sinn Fein’s Martina Anderson.
When the SDLP fought its first Derry City Council election in 1973, it won ten seats.
That number peaked at 17 in 1993.
As a result of Thursday’s election, the SDLP will have 10 seats on the newly-formed council – nine from Derry and one from Strabane.
Sinn Fein first contested a Derry City Council election in 1985, a number that has gradually increased and, following Thursday’s election, sees it with 16 councillors – ten from Derry and six from Strabane – on the newly formed council.
The outcome has delighted Andrew McCartney, chairperson of Sinn Fein in Derry, who said the “increased mandate” would allow the party to continue “to work every day to improve the lives of all the people of the North West.
Mr McCartney said by becoming the largest party, Sinn Fein had achieved what it had set out to do prior to Thursday’s election.
Andrew McCartney, Derry Sinn Fein chairperson.
Mr McCartney added: “I would like to thank the voters for their support and all of our candidates who stood in the election.
“The people of Derry and Strabane have voted for change and recognised that Sinn Féin is the only party capable of delivering that change.
“Sinn Féin has a proven record of standing up for the people of Derry and Strabane and this increased mandate will allow us to continue us to work every day to improve the lives of all the people of the North West.
“We know there are issues to address and we are committed to working to create jobs, strenghten communities in urban and rural areas, and improve opportunities for children and young people.
“That work starts now.
“The people of Derry and Strabane have placed their trust in Sinn Féin by returning us as the largest party and our councillors will work tirelessly to serve all the people.
The make-up of the new 40-seat “Super Council” is: Sinn Fein 16 seats, SDLP 10, DUP 8, Independents 4 and Ulster Unionists 2.
Successful candidates in the new seven District Electoral Areas were:
Ballyarnett:
Sandra Duffy (Sinn Fein, SF)
Tony Hassan (SF)
Elisha McCallion (SF)
Dermot Quigley (Independent, Ind)
Angela Dobbins (Social Democratic and Labour Party, SDLP)
Brian Tierney (SDLP)
Waterside:
Gerard Diver (SDLP)
Mary Hamilton (Ulster Unionist Party, UUP)
Christopher Jackson (SF)
Hilary McClintock (Democratic Unionist Party, DUP)
David Ramsey (DUP)
Martin Reilly (SDLP)
Drew Thompson (DUP)
Foyleside:
John Boyle (SDLP)
Mickey Cooper (SF)
Eric McGinley (SF)
Darren O’Reilly (Ind)
Shauna Cusack (SDLP)
Faughan:
Gary Middleton (DUP)
Maurice Devenney (DUP)
Paul Fleming (SF)
Gus Hastings (SDLP)
Jim McKeever (SDLP)
Derg:
Derek Hussey (UUP)
Thomas Kerrigan (DUP)
Kieran McGuire (SF)
Maolisoa McHugh (SF)
Ruairi McHugh (SF)
Sperrin:
Allan Bresland (DUP)
Rhonda Hamilton (DUP)
Karina Carlin (SF)
Paul Gallagher (Ind)
Dan Kelly (SF)
Patsy Kelly (SDLP)
Brian McMahon (SF)
The Moor:
Gary Donnelly (Ind)
Kevin Campbell (SF)
Patricia Logue (SF)
Colly Kelly (SF)
Sean Carr (SDLP)
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