Nationalists must make the case for Irish unity to unionists in a totally new way, SDLP leader Margaret Ritchie has argued.

Ms Ritchie claimed her party offered "progressive nationalism", as |compared to the "resentful nationalism" of Sinn Fein.

She was speaking at the |McCluskey Civil Rights Summer School taking place in Carlingford, Co Louth.

The South Down MP also said: "Progressive nationalists see a unity that is a coming together of |the two traditions on the island and not a hostile takeover.

"Our strategy is to provide assurances about the continuation of the institutions of Northern Ireland in any new united Ireland.

"And also an acknowledgement that the |challenge for Irish nationalists is to make the case to unionists in a way that has never been done before."