The SDLP’s chief executive has resigned from the post a little over a year after being appointed.
Conor Houston, who is also chair of the party’s New Ireland Commission and was its Strangford candidate in the 2022 assembly election, is understood to be moving to a role in the private sector.
SDLP sources have been keen to stress that his departure is on amicable terms and has nothing to do with recent election results which have seen Colum Eastwood’s party lose ground to Sinn Féin and Alliance.
The Foyle MP described Mr Houston, who personally delivered his resignation letter to the SDLP leader on Monday, as a “huge asset to our party”.
Mr Eastwood said he had helped party’s the leadership team “deliver a transformation agenda across the SDLP”.
“We are, of course, sad to see him go but he has been presented with an exciting new opportunity that we understand he wants to grab with both hands. I know that he will apply the same dedication and passion to his new role that he has with us over the last three years – he leaves with our very best wishes and friendship,” he said.
A former solicitor and director of his own Houston Solutions consultancy, Mr Houston was first appointed SDLP policy director in 2022 before assuming the role previously held by former chair of Newry, Mourne & Down Council Michael Savage.
The former Irish Times board member and director of LQBTQ+ youth charity ShoutOut, Mr Houston was unsuccessful in his bid to become the first nationalist MLA to represent the Strangford constituency.
Despite receiving an endorsement from actor James Nesbitt, he received just 2,440 first preference votes, 5.97% in the 2022 election.
Mr Houston’s LinkedIn profile describes him as an ambassador for the One Young World charity.
