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07/05/2010
Ritchie Win Underlines Leadership
A Sinn Fein Stormont Minister has been displaced by an Assembly Executive colleague.
The SDLP's new leader Margaret Ritchie has held on to the South Down Westminster seat held by her party's outgoing MP, Eddie McGrady, (both pictured here).
The NI Minister for Social Development polled 20,648 votes, well ahead of NI Education Minister Caitriona Ruane of Sinn Fein, with 12,236.
Jim Wells of the DUP received 3,645 votes, John McCallister, Ulster Conservatives and Unionists - New Force, 3,093, Ivor McConnell, TUV, 1,506, Cadogan Enright, Greens, 901, and David Griffin, Alliance Party, 560.
Ms Ritchie was only elected as the leader of the SDLP in February of this year and is the sole member of the party in the Northern Ireland Executive.
"I am proud of the people of South Down, because the people of South Down are the salt of the earth and they have shown that they want real representation for all of the community in South Down," she said.
The party leader was at 'dangers-drawn' with the Sinn Fein President, Gerry Adams, over the SDLP's rejection of a poll agreement to allow a single candidate in Fermanagh South Tyrone, after SF withdrew from the South Belfast constituency.
Margaret Ritchie underlined the SF policy of abstention from Westminster as her main reason for rejection.
(BMcC/GK)
The SDLP's new leader Margaret Ritchie has held on to the South Down Westminster seat held by her party's outgoing MP, Eddie McGrady, (both pictured here).
The NI Minister for Social Development polled 20,648 votes, well ahead of NI Education Minister Caitriona Ruane of Sinn Fein, with 12,236.
Jim Wells of the DUP received 3,645 votes, John McCallister, Ulster Conservatives and Unionists - New Force, 3,093, Ivor McConnell, TUV, 1,506, Cadogan Enright, Greens, 901, and David Griffin, Alliance Party, 560.
Ms Ritchie was only elected as the leader of the SDLP in February of this year and is the sole member of the party in the Northern Ireland Executive.
"I am proud of the people of South Down, because the people of South Down are the salt of the earth and they have shown that they want real representation for all of the community in South Down," she said.
The party leader was at 'dangers-drawn' with the Sinn Fein President, Gerry Adams, over the SDLP's rejection of a poll agreement to allow a single candidate in Fermanagh South Tyrone, after SF withdrew from the South Belfast constituency.
Margaret Ritchie underlined the SF policy of abstention from Westminster as her main reason for rejection.
(BMcC/GK)
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16 August 2010
SF Opposes Ritchie Calls For Police Primacy
Sinn Fein have condemned a nationalist call for the North's police to again run secret anti-terror operations. The party's policing spokesman was commenting in the wake of the SDLP leader Margaret Ritchie's news that she is seeking urgent meetings with both the Irish Republic's Taoiseach, Brian Cowen and the NIO Secretary of State Owen Paterson.
SF Opposes Ritchie Calls For Police Primacy
Sinn Fein have condemned a nationalist call for the North's police to again run secret anti-terror operations. The party's policing spokesman was commenting in the wake of the SDLP leader Margaret Ritchie's news that she is seeking urgent meetings with both the Irish Republic's Taoiseach, Brian Cowen and the NIO Secretary of State Owen Paterson.
17 August 2010
SDLP Leader Slammed For MI5 Comments
There has been an angry response to yesterday's call to give the North's police back its former lead role in intelligence gathering. Speaking after SDLP leader Margaret Ritchie claimed that MI5 should hand over dissident republican intelligence to the PSNI as it had failed to prevent terror attacks across NI.
SDLP Leader Slammed For MI5 Comments
There has been an angry response to yesterday's call to give the North's police back its former lead role in intelligence gathering. Speaking after SDLP leader Margaret Ritchie claimed that MI5 should hand over dissident republican intelligence to the PSNI as it had failed to prevent terror attacks across NI.
21 April 2010
SF's Maskey Withdrawn From Election Race
The news that Sinn Fein has withdrawn its South Belfast candidate Alex Maskey from the General Election has been condemned as a political "stunt".
SF's Maskey Withdrawn From Election Race
The news that Sinn Fein has withdrawn its South Belfast candidate Alex Maskey from the General Election has been condemned as a political "stunt".
08 February 2010
Taoiseach Welcomes New SDLP Leader
The Taoiseach, Brian Cowen, has welcomed Margaret Ritchie as the new leader of the SDLP. Yesterday, Ms Ritchie made history by becoming the first woman elected to lead the Social Democratic and Labour Party.
Taoiseach Welcomes New SDLP Leader
The Taoiseach, Brian Cowen, has welcomed Margaret Ritchie as the new leader of the SDLP. Yesterday, Ms Ritchie made history by becoming the first woman elected to lead the Social Democratic and Labour Party.
11 November 2009
Ritchie Launches Leadership Bid
Margaret Richie has launched her SDLP leadership campaign, promising to rebuild the party. Outlining her ambitions this week, Ms Ritchie said her leadership would be bound by three pillars. She told supporters in Belfast these would centre on "a prosperous, increasingly independent economy that lifts the lives and wellbeing of all.
Ritchie Launches Leadership Bid
Margaret Richie has launched her SDLP leadership campaign, promising to rebuild the party. Outlining her ambitions this week, Ms Ritchie said her leadership would be bound by three pillars. She told supporters in Belfast these would centre on "a prosperous, increasingly independent economy that lifts the lives and wellbeing of all.
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