Morgan resigns from SDLP

Former SDLP Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Martin Morgan, announced last week that he was resigning from the party. Although citing personal reasons for his retirement and a desire to concentrate on his career as a social worker, it is thought the North Belfast councillor has become disillusioned with the party.

The 37-year-old had been seen as one of the youthful figures who could help reinvigorate the SDLP, which has been consistently losing ground to Sinn Féin.

Last November's Assembly elections saw the SDLP slump to an all time low, with Sinn Féin claiming 24 seats to the SDLP's 18.

Morgan is the latest young SDLP member to throw in the towel in politics. Carmel O'Boyle in Newcastle and Seán McKee in Antrim Town previously stepped down, and Marie McDaid resigned in April, just three years after gaining a council seat on Derry City Council.

Morgan's decision to quit came as a surprise, especially after he appeared to give a firm commitment to the SDLP when he stood for the European election in June this year. However, the drop in the SDLP's appeal was reinforced when Sinn Féin's Bairbre De Brúin comprehensively beat Morgan and won a first ever European seat for Sinn Féin, leaving the SDLP man demoralised.

The vexed question of policing may also have some bearing on Morgan's decision to quit.

The North Belfast councillor ruffled party feathers by criticising the way the PSNI dealt with this year's Orange Order parade through Ardoyne in July.

At the time, Morgan publicly questioned the party's position on policing, suggesting that the SDLP might consider withdrawing from the Policing Board as a result of PSNI actions during the parade.

The news of Morgan's resignation comes at a time when the future of the SDLP is in doubt, as internal discussions are being held on whether the party should drop the objective of a united Ireland.

On its website, the SDLP describes itself as 100% for a united Ireland and 100% for the Good Friday Agreement but sources have indicated that the gulf between the 'nationalist' and 'social democrat' elements of the party is getting wider.

The party is undergoing an identity crisis and one Belfast-based newspaper reported that "at committee level they are debating whether to drop their policy of aiming for a united Ireland and replacing it with a united island strategy in an attempt to access the middle-class unionist votes".

Members of the party are now questioning its future. Some are openly talking of a possible merger with Fianna Fáil, with some observers predicting that at council level, up to 40 SDLP representatives could defect.