Councillor Haughey said, “The Party Conference has been a brilliant event with SDLP members from across the north coming together to discuss key party policy for the future. The focus of conference this year was the hotly contested Leader election. The four candidates have brought a renewed vigour and determination into the party and the hustings has been a valuable platform for grassroot members to raise issues, concerns and hopes for the future.
“Dr Alasdair McDonnell secured the leadership bid and I wish him every success over the coming months and years. Being Party Leader is a very important role and I hope that the South Belfast MP will be able to replicate his election glories in South Belfast across the whole of the north.
“I also believe that all four candidates including Conal McDevitt, Patsy McGlone and Alex Attwood have proven that they have an interesting and impressive set of skills which the party will benefit from greatly in the collective leadership advocated by Alasdair.”
A large number of delegates from the Newry and Armagh SDLP branches, including veteran Seamus Mallon attended the conference at the Ramada Hotel in Belfast to cast their vote and to help shape the future policy of the Party.