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The leader of the SDLP has confirmed he will run in the European election.<\/p>\nThe leader of the SDLP has confirmed he will run in the European election.<\/p>\n
Colum Eastwood has urged that the election to the European Parliament be regarded as a referendum \u2013 the North\u2019s People\u2019s Vote.<\/p>\n
The poll comes as the UK political system is in chaos, unable to agree a deal with which to leave the European Union.<\/p>\n
While a majority across the UK voted to leave the EU in 2016, there was a majority within Northern Ireland who wish to remain.<\/p>\n
Mr Eastwood described the May vote as an \u201celection like no other\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn June 2016, a majority of people from communities across Northern Ireland came together to express our clear will that we should remain in the European Union,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a vote that, unlike many others, saw people break free from their traditional trenches to occupy a common ground and a common identity.<\/p>\n
\u201cSince then, the broad progressive coalition that came together has been sidelined and silenced. Without a government in Belfast and with the DUP aligned to hard Brexit fanatics in London, people here have been ignored. Enough is enough.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis European election should be a referendum \u2013 the North\u2019s People\u2019s Vote.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs the most pro-Europe party in the North and the only party which joined the official campaign against Brexit in 2016, the SDLP will be a strong voice championing our shared values and opposing the destructive ideology that is leading the British Government toward a hard border on this island.\u201d<\/p>\n
At the last European election in 2014, the SDLP missed out on winning Northern Ireland\u2019s third seat by less than 2,000 votes.<\/p>\n
The three seats went to Sinn F\u00e9in\u2019s Martina Anderson, the DUP’s Diane Dodds and the Ulster Unionist Party\u2019s Jim Nicholson.<\/p>\n
The former two are running to win back their seats while former Stormont minister Danny Kennedy will run for the Ulster Unionist Party.<\/p>\n
Other candidates include Green Party leader Clare Bailey, and the Alliance Party is set to confirm its candidate later.<\/p>\n
Mr Eastwood said he believes he is \u201cwithin striking distance of the third European seat\u201d.<\/p>\n
He said a vote for him is a vote for a pro-Europe MEP, and urged everyone who wished to remain to give him their vote, despite their usual party allegiances.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m urging everyone in this election, regardless of how they normally vote, to join the progressive coalition that delivered a Remain vote in 2016 by voting for the SDLP to deliver another pro-Europe MEP to fight our corner,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n