{"id":9363,"date":"2024-08-29T12:02:35","date_gmt":"2024-08-29T12:02:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.godj.com\/news\/colum-eastwood-steps-down-as-sdlp-leader\/"},"modified":"2024-08-29T12:02:35","modified_gmt":"2024-08-29T12:02:35","slug":"colum-eastwood-steps-down-as-sdlp-leader","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.godj.com\/news\/colum-eastwood-steps-down-as-sdlp-leader\/","title":{"rendered":"Colum Eastwood steps down as SDLP leader"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Colum Eastwood has announced that he is to resign as leader of the SDLP saying he wants space and time to be a voice of change. <\/p>\n

The Foyle MP said his decision to step down would “give someone else a chance” and re-energise the party.<\/p>\n

He confirmed his decision to quit as party leader at a press conference on Thursday, after nine years in the job.<\/p>\n

Mr Eastwood will formally resign at the party conference on 5 October to allow the new leader to take up the position.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Announcing his resignation, Mr Eastwood told reporters the “moment has come for me to stand aside”.<\/p>\n

Mr Eastwood said “some people maybe don’t realise how much effort you have to put in to the day-to-day running of a political party”.<\/p>\n

He said he wanted to focus on representing the people of Derry as Foyle MP, a job he will retain, as well as working with the New Ireland Commission, a body he set up to look at Irish reunification.<\/p>\n

It is understood that he will remain as leader until a successor is chosen by the party.<\/p>\n

Writing on social media<\/a>, DUP leader Gavin Robinson wished him well and said Mr Eastwood would “continue to champion Foyle in Westminster as before”.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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His resignation comes just eight weeks after he retained his Westminster seat with a reduced majority of 4,166.<\/p>\n

While the party also retained its seat in South Belfast & Mid Down, the overall general election result was regarded as disappointing for the SDLP, which lost substantial ground in South Down and Upper Bann.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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