I am delighted to see the resignation of Colum Eastwood, a leader who has presided over the party’s decline. It gives me – someone on the progressive left – some hope that from the ashes of social conservativism and light-green nationalism, a real social democratic party can be born.
This current SDLP has indulged in political self-harm and has failed to navigate the changed and changing political landscape. The SDLP does not understand the meaning of its name, and it is a party devoid of the quality of leadership, insight and foresight as shown by John Hume, Seamus Mallon and Bríd Rodgers.
A party that should be steeped in delivering for the working class rarely if ever uses that term, and is still perceived as a party that courts the grey, middle-class, Mass-going voter and does not support a woman’s right to choose and does not believe in a secular education system.
It supports projects like the building of Casement at a cost of £300m while the health and social care system is in crisis, which impacts heavily on low-income families and the elderly. It calls for further devolution of tax-raising powers when it cannot deal with the issues of health service reform, water rates which could raise £500m, the unfair rates cap, and continues to support free prescriptions for all.
The answer? Blame the Brits for the ineptitude of our political class. The most important contribution to our collective future is the creation of a New Ireland Commission, when it has little to say about the cost-of-living crisis.
New faces have come and gone but it still looks, sounds and feels like a Sad Democratic and Lacklustre Party and that is sad because, as someone on the progressive political left, it has never garnered my vote. It calls for a Marshall Plan for the health service. I think this is an opportunity to develop a Marshall Plan for its political survival.
Let me tell you what the party’s name should be about in practice. Social democracy takes the form of socially managed welfare capitalism and partial public ownership, a robust welfare state upholding universally accessible public services such as childcare, education and health.
It also includes promoting equality of opportunity, social equality, a more equitable distribution of income and a fair tax system where the broadest shoulders are asked to pay a bit more in the interests of social cohesion. If there is no change in where the party sits on the political landscape, then the picket-fence Alliance Party will continue to steal their votes.
Claire Hanna’s recent interview with Paul Clark at best could be described as uninspiring and without any vision and gives me little hope of a political resurrection.
When asked what she would do differently from Colum, after some waffling, it amounted to absolutely nothing. When asked about her priorities, they included listening, speaking and reaching out to the region – which, surprisingly, included Dublin.
She pointed out that her party embraces a progressive left policy platform. She clearly does not grasp the underlying principles of social democracy.
Happy to help and support a real social democratic party. This one is close to DNR.
Suneil Sharma, Belfast BT8
