Alasdair McDonnell

The remembrance too many in Ireland want to forget

Slugger O'Toole (Free subscription) | yesterday

Alasdair McDonnell MP, MLA writing in the current issue of the Church of Ireland Gazette shines a light on the memory of the disappeared and asks why there are still those prepared to give some legitimacy to their murders. The month of November celebrates All Souls day and the end of the church's liturgical year. Christians from ancient times in Ireland have always remembered and revered the dead....

Our Next First Minister

BBC NEWS | The Devenport Diaries (Free subscription) | 18/11/2009

During Monday's "Stormont Live" I asked Alasdair McDonnell if it really mattered who won the SDLP leadership contest as the party would inevitably face a squeeze at the next Assembly elections, given that Sinn Fein would tell nationalists it had a realistic chance of becoming the biggest Stormont party. Consequently Sinn Fein would have the right to nominate Martin McGuinness as First Minister,...

SDLP McDonnell - ‘Opinion growing that SDLP should pull out of Executive’.

Slugger O'Toole (Free subscription) | 15/11/2009

In policy terms observers might have noticed the first glimpse of clear blue water between the two candidates in the SDLP leadership on Inside Politics in an interview with South Belfast MP Alasdair McDonnell. McDonnell said there was a growing body of opinion amongst party supporters arguing the SDLP should not accept being denied the Justice Ministry and instead should pull out of the executive....

SDLP contest is important but Northern Ireland needs a revival of moderate politics on both sides of the divide.

Three Thousand Versts of Loneliness (Free subscription) | 05/11/2009

In his News Letter column Alex Kane emphasises the importance of the SDLP leadership contest to prospects of a constructive, workable Northern Ireland Assembly. In stark terms, if the moderate nationalist party cannot recover and challenge Sinn Féin’s ascendancy, then devolved government will continue along current lines, perpetuating a community tug of war which results in stasis. Although...

Two poor saps fight for world’s most thankless job

Splintered Sunrise (Free subscription) | 31/10/2009

It beats me why anyone would want to be leader of the South Down and Londonderry Party. And yet, incredibly, two people do want it, with both social development minister Margaret Ritchie (South Down) and incumbent deputy leader Alasdair McDonnell (South Belfast) now having declared themselves. What’s even odder, as Brian Feeney points out in [...]

McDonnell bids for SDLP leadership

ireland.com (Free subscription) | 27/10/2009

SDLP deputy leader Alasdair McDonnell has formally announced he is to contest the party leadership.

• McDonnell to announce bid for SDLP leadership - The Irish Times

The race is on for SDLP Leadership

Slugger O'Toole (Free subscription) | 27/10/2009

Alasdair McDonnell formally entered the race to succeed Mark Durkan today at an event with party members in Belfast. He is up against Margaret Ritchie. Both sides are claiming strong support from within the Assembly team. McDonnell was joined by Mid Ulster MLA Patsy McGlone at his event this morning. Margaret announced her intention to stand flanked by several party MLAs just over a week ago. The final...

Alasdair McDonnell to seek SDLP leadership

Top Stories: BreakingNews.ie (Free subscription) | 27/10/2009

The SDLP is set to hold a leadership contest for the first time in its history after a second candidate threw his hat in the ring today.

Alasdair McDonnell to seek SDLP leadership

Belfast Telegraph (Free subscription) | 27/10/2009

The SDLP is set to hold a leadership contest for the first time in its history after a second candidate threw his hat in the ring today.

SDLP man to launch leadership bid

BBC News (Free subscription) | 27/10/2009

The SDLP's deputy leader, Alasdair McDonnell, is set to announce his decision to fight for the party leadership.

McDonnell to seek SDLP Leadership

Politics.ie (Free subscription) | 26/10/2009

The SDLP's deputy leader is set to make his pitch for the leadership. Alasdair McDonnell is expected to formally declare his intention to contest...

MP to set sights on leadership

BBC News (Free subscription) | 26/10/2009

The SDLP's deputy leader, Alasdair McDonnell, is set to make his pitch for the leadership.

A Tale Of Two Tommies

BBC NEWS | The Devenport Diaries (Free subscription) | 16/10/2009

When a candidate declares their interest in leading a party, and appears with a phalanx of colleagues behind them, you might reasonably assume that this represents a sense of the backing they expect to get when it comes to decision time. So it was with Margaret Ritchie, who appeared in the Great Hall this week together with Alex Attwood, Mary Bradley, Dolores Kelly, Carmel Hanna, Tommy Burns and Tommy...

Sorry Dawn (and Monica)!

BBC NEWS | The Devenport Diaries (Free subscription) | 13/10/2009

I have just returned from the Stormont Great Hall, where Margaret Ritchie threw her hat in the ring for the SDLP leadership. She is promising an as yet unspecified comprehensive plan for the future renewal of the party. I thought I ought to ask a question about whether having a female leader would make any difference either way to voters, but totally put my foot in it as I said (live on Talkback)...

Top Gear and Watchdog editor puts his name forward as UUPTory candidate

Belfast Media | Home (Free subscription) | 01/10/2009

A former head of BBC NI TV has entered the battle for the South Belfast Westminster seat. Peter McCann, one-time series producer of the BBC programme Top Gear and editor of consumer programme Watchdog, has put his name forward as a Conservative Party candidate under the Ulster Unionist and Conservative New Force banner. The Conservative Party is due to choose its South Belfast candidate on Friday...