| 5°C Belfast

SDLP must face up to losses: Ex-aide Michael McKernan

Michael McKernan, who was a special adviser to ex-environment minister Alex Attwood and South Down MP Margaret Ritchie, said the party must be honest about its performance in May's local government election and predicted further losses in the next Assembly poll Expand

Close

Michael McKernan, who was a special adviser to ex-environment minister Alex Attwood and South Down MP Margaret Ritchie, said the party must be honest about its performance in May's local government election and predicted further losses in the next Assembly poll

Michael McKernan, who was a special adviser to ex-environment minister Alex Attwood and South Down MP Margaret Ritchie, said the party must be honest about its performance in May's local government election and predicted further losses in the next Assembly poll

Michael McKernan, who was a special adviser to ex-environment minister Alex Attwood and South Down MP Margaret Ritchie, said the party must be honest about its performance in May's local government election and predicted further losses in the next Assembly poll

By Lesley-Anne McKeown

The SDLP should stop deluding itself and face some harsh home truths, a former ministerial adviser has warned.

Michael McKernan, who was a special adviser to ex-environment minister Alex Attwood and South Down MP Margaret Ritchie, said the party must be honest about its performance in May's local government election and predicted further losses in the next Assembly poll.

In a hard-hitting email circulated among senior SDLP figures, he also rejected an assessment by leader Dr Alasdair McDonnell that the party had enjoyed a "highly successful local government campaign". Mr McKernan wrote: "I simply do not recognise that description of the election."

The SDLP won a total of 66 seats across the 11 new super councils which will take effect from next year.

Their share of the vote dropped from about 15% to around 13.5%

The email, dated September 9, was sent out after Dr McDonnell, the MP for South Belfast, requested feedback on his briefing document distributed last month.

The regular bulletin featured images of the SDLP's two Lord Mayors, Nichola Mallon in Belfast and Brenda Stevenson who lost her seat in Derry.

Under the heading A Summer Of Rebirth And Renewal, Dr McDonnell described both women as "shining new examples of civic leadership emerging from a highly successful local government election".

Mr McKernan, who is now an SDLP branch member, said: "While there's no problem with a bit of 'spin' to external audiences the party should not be 'spinning' to itself.

"The facts are the facts."

The Belfast City Council result was singled out as the "worst part" of the local government election.

A spokeswoman said the party did not want to comment on the email.

Belfast Telegraph

Top Videos

Privacy