SDLP seeks creation of a New Ireland Coalition

The SDLP is to enter talks with Fianna Fail, Irish Labour and Fine Gael about the establishment of a New Ireland Coalition following the party’s Annual Conference decided today.

Delegates voted unanimously for the Balmoral Branch motion to establish a coalition with the following basic aims:

To promote debate across the island of Ireland about the economic, social and political issues common to the people of Ireland, North and South, to;

Politically support and campaign for the SDLP in Northern Ireland as the voice of the New Ireland, and;

To engage in conversations on social and economic issues with the churches, the trade union movement, business organisations, the unionist community and civic society, North and South, with a view to strengthening confidence, cooperation and trust between the people on this island.

The move follows a year long debate within the SDLP about how to progress all island politics without loosing the party’s identity and history.

Many within the SDLP believe this new coalition will provide an all island dimension to its politics as well as a common platform FF, FG, Labour and the SDLP on the big issues facing this island.

The New Ireland Coalition could provide a vehicle through which to fight the second Lisbon referendum as well as supporting Alban McGuinness as the only significant pro-Europe candidate in the upcoming European elections in the North.

It is not clear how the southern parties will react to this proposal. There is however a long tradition of close cooperation between them all and the SDLP on major issues which stretches back to the mid seventies.

At a time when the Republic is staring over the precipice many may welcome the opportunity to create a formal association which is capable of creating a national consensus on key issues without prejudicing each party’s individual identity.

As one delegate put it to me.

“This is a trade union for the New Ireland. We all may work for different companies and even compete from time to time but we are all committed to the basic values of a modern progressive Ireland; commited to a future in Europe, interested in leading as a global innovator in science, part of the green collar jobs revolution and committed to breaking down the barriers between the people of this island.”

At a time when the UUP are seeking a single party expression of their role within the politics of the United Kingdom it is interesting that the SDLP is adopting a more ‘Obamaesque’ approach, building a coalition which it clearly hopes will be bigger than the sum of its parts.