SDLP Conference

As is now a well-established annual tradition, I was up in Armagh last weekend for SDLP Conference. And boy was this year different to last year. Last year’s Conference was tense, as the Sunday morning debate was entirely over whether the SDLP should moving towards merging with FF. This year, a lot of that pressure has eased, as Cowen has shot down the idea of FF moving North, while the SDLP passed a motion seeking greater alliances with all Southern parties.  Obviously, this is something I’m particularly pleased about, but Conall McDevitt has written about it in greater depth.

SDLP Logo

That said, the atmosphere was a little odd at times – the SDLP membership seem far more optimistic than I’ve seen them in recent years, with a genuine belief that they can begin to seriously challenge SF once more. But still there were certain concerns which seemed almost palpable at times. Mostly, I think the SDLP is still going through the process of figuring out where there identity lies now that SF have left violence to one side. The Civil Rights movement will always be an enormous achievement in the SDLP archives, but now I think the membership are starting to realise that talking about the Civil Rights movement isn’t the valuable political currency it once was. There’s also a rapidly increasing awareness that organisational matters need to be addressed within the party.

Which I suppose is what led to SDLP Youth inviting me to speak at their fringe event on how the party could organisation to make a change. Mr. Mulley couldn’t make it along, so it was left to myself, Conall and a video post from Mick Fealty to address the room (his wife was due to give birth, so hope all is well with the family). My presentation is included below, but I mostly focussed on Obama’s novel organisational model, as well as the potential for online campaigning (which led to an exchange between myself and Seamus Mallon on whether he’s too old to blog or not!). Conall was excellent on how the SDLP needed to prepare their message for the New Ireland, as outlined in the motion I described in the first paragraph. A full room, some great comments (notably Mallon’s attempt to rally the troops around some very simple messages on the need to recruit and canvass) – hopefully I’ll be back next year to make it three SDLP Youth fringe events in a row!

Apart from the occasionally odd atmosphere, I really enjoyed the weekend. Claire Hanna very kindly welcomed me during her welcome of fraternal delegates, and it’s always nice to be put in the same sentence as Ruairi (who incidentally made an excellent speech himself on behalf of the fraternal delegates). And Carmel was far too kind in forcing the waiting staff to set another place for me at the Balmoral branch table! I also got to have a few political rows with members of Ógra Fianna Fáil, which is always fun (especially when they’re proposing the abolition of inheritance tax during a recession!).