The SDLP has said its MPs would be “best placed to deliver change” because they have the strongest relationship with what is expected to be a Labour administration in London.
The claim from party leader Colum Eastwood is made in the party’s manifesto, which was launched on Wednesday in Derry.
Mr Eastwood, who won the Foyle seat back for his party in 2019 with a majority of 17,000, is one of 18 SDLP candidates running in each of the north’s constituencies
He and colleague Claire Hanna, who is defending a slightly smaller majority in the newly-configured constituency of South Belfast and Mid Down, have used the campaign to stress the value of Westminster representation, differentiating themselves from abstentionist rivals Sinn Féin.
“Our voice has always been influential and, though we aspire to a different constitutional future, we have always used our platform at Westminster to maximum effect,” the manifesto states.
The SDLP has promised to its use votes in the House of Commons to “ensure there is no Conservative government” and to push for the new administration to prioritise investment in Northern Ireland’s public services.
The party has also pledged to press for the repeal of the Tory government’s legacy legislation, a commitment already made by Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer.
The 48-page manifesto argues for an improved financial settlement but believes there is also room for the Stormont executive to improve transparency and accountability around how it priorities spending and how long-term budgets are set.
The SDLP says healthcare transformation has “stalled” due to two periods of dormancy for the Stormont institutions.
It advocates a “Marshall Plan style intervention” for the regional health and social care system and says its MPs will make representations directly to the Treasury for corresponding funding, while rewarding staff in a manner that will “reflect their contribution”.
Among the party’s policy proposals for education are an above inflation pay increase for teachers and support staff, action to tackle educational underachievement, and a cap on school uniform costs.
It calls for investment in arts and culture, noting that spending per head on the sector is “dramatically lower than any other part of these islands”.
The manifesto says the SDLP will continue its New Ireland Commission project, focusing on 12 key policy areas that include climate and the natural world; education and skills; and reconciliation.
Elsewhere, the party pledges to campaign for an independent environmental protection agency, seek to implement an all-island animal cruelty register, and support new legislation on clean air.
On international policy the manifesto says the SDLP has called for the British foreign secretary to ban arms sales to Israel while urging the release of hostages taken during the October 7 attack by Hamas.
Mr Eastwood told the manifesto launch that in addition to defending its two Westminster seats, his party was also hoping to regain South Down, a seat it held for 30 years from 1987.
“Some of our opponents are abstentionists; they’re very honest about it, they are very open about it; they have been that way for 100 years.” the SDLP leader said.
“Of course, they also used to not go to Dáil Éireann or Stormont, or support the European Union, so maybe, some day, they’ll get common sense around abstentionism.”
He said he believed people were “sick of politicians not going to work”.
“The reality is if you’re not there, you don’t count,” he said.
