12/03/2016 Social Democratic and Labour Party Conference

Hello and welcome to the Conference this Saturday evening on BBC Two

Northern Ireland and also across the UK on the BBC Parliament channel.

It's the SDLP's turn as delegates meet in the new leaders' hometown of

Derry. The party's assembly candidates are being introduced to

the conference which is being held in the newly refurbished St Column's

Hall. If you are thinking it hardly seems a year since the last SDLP

Conference, you would be right. The traditional autumn slot's been

abandoned in favour of a Spring Conference. You saw the 2015

conference in November. Now this is the 2016 conference and, with an

election in May, some mange it's a shrewd move. In a moment, I'll be

talking to Mark Devonport in Derry, but first, let's hear from Professor

Rick Wilford. Welcome to the programme, good to have you with us,

as ever. What's the chief challenge, as you see it for tonight?

Electoral. That's the big mountain he's got to climb. The party for 18

years has been in serial decline. He's got to demonstrate the will,

capacity and energy to, if not arrest the decline, but decline it.

He's four months into the job, he's got a ready and willing audience

who're eagerly anticipating what he has to say. I don't think it will

reflect too much on the past. There's been a lot of criticism of

the SDLP for basking in the now fading glories of the 1998 Good

Friday Agreement, albeit, you know, it's an essential part of our

political architecture. He's got to, as a young, viedal new leader of the

party I think, is be enthusiastic,en news the audience. They'll be

wanting a clear speech that gives a clear vision of what the party can

offer -- enthuse the audience. In particular how they can challenge

Sinn Fein, its obvious competitor. If you look at the share of the

nationalists votes that the SDLP's taken over the last 18 years since

the first assembly election, it's gone down from 56% to 35%, a big

grower has been Sinn Fein. He's got to demark ate clean water between

his own party and Sinn Fein and put it up. He might be able to secure

some transfers and have some common ground unionists within the

electorate. It's a big ask for him, he's the fifth leader in 18 years,

he knows the turnover. That in a sense I think signifies the scale of

the challenge he's got as the new leader and they are two big

challenges, you know. The election in May and then six, seven weeks

later, the referendum on whether or not the UK remains in the EU. So

it's a moment us to year for the UK as a whole and for Eastwood I think

in particular. One of the key factors, I suppose, that he's got in

his favour is, he might see it as a new leader, putting together a new

team, is that there are significant figures departing from the Assembly

team, they have either left the Assembly already or they're not

standing again in May, and there are fresh faces waiting in the wings. Do

you expect that he'll play that card strongly today? I think he's got to.

One of the pitches he made when he beat McDonnell back in November was

he was young and it was time for new, fresh politics, for fresh

faces, so of course, there has been a number of new faces brought to the

fore. Fore. Nicola Mallen, Alvin McGuinness in North Belfast, so yes,

he's got to convey a party that's effervescent, not stale. Under

McDonald, it was a party looking stale electorally and stale in terms

of the narrative that he was trying to project in Northern Ireland. He's

got to come out with something which is I think novel for the faithful,

exciting, something which will enthuse them but also will attract

to a wider audience other than party faithful. He's going at prime time

on Saturday Evening so there is no better platform to persuade the SDLP

to give him a second transfer. He famously said at one stage in the

past, there is no place called opposition. After May there will be

a place called opposition and that's an option for all the parties if

they get sufficient votes and sufficient strengths to begin to to

the executive. They can choose not to do that and to move into some

kind of opposition. So, I wonder, do you think he'll set out his stall to

some extent today of what he thinks the SDLP will want to see in any

programme for Government that's hammered out in the two weeks after

the May election? He's got to put something on display and set out his

stall. He doesn't want to reveal his whole hand because, if he does that,

he's alerting the other parties, he might be able to pick off some of

the other parties he wants to put at the top of his own particular

agenda. The SDLP, like the Ulster Unionists, have voted against

successive budgets in the past. Now they'll have 14 days after the

election of the parties who're eligible to work out an agreed

programme, so he doesn't want to show his hand too much I think today

but he's got to do enough to say, this is a new SDLP, a different

SDLP, one that's progressive. OK, talk to you lots throughout the

course of the programme, for now, Rick, thank you very much. Let's

hear from Mark Devonport who's been at the Conference Hall in Derry for

most of today. Evening, Mark. Good evening.

How would you sum up the mood from the delegates you have been talking

to throughout the day? Well, they are obviously fairly

upbeat because they are preparing for the Assembly elections in May. I

was going to say the predominant word I would sum this up with is

that it's loud. Nicola Mallon is addressing delegates, she's one of a

number of candidates who'll be introduced to the SDLP activists

tonight and this is very much a preelection gathering. It only seems

yesterday of course that Colm Eastwood was elected. That was four

months ago and was very different from down in Armargh because we had

an election that gave it a news at the centre of it.

This gathering has seen the SDLP. It's been a series of seminars on

different topics and very much I think really I would say focussed

around tonight's speech which will allow Colm Eastwood to show what a

performer he is like. An enthusiastic audience here. I see

and hear Nicola there, but also a lot of empty seats. I imagine that's

the platform party and we'll see a lot of new party candidates and new

blood very much in the foreground over the next 45 minutes or

thereabouts? Yes. They have now gone over to another candidate. We are

going to get another big cheer. You will have to bear with me if I don't

always hear you. It's extremely loud in here. We have taken over this

area here so it's quite packed downstairs. One would have to point

out that it's a much smaller gathering than the Sinn Fein one

that took place last year next door at the Millennium Hall, that's a

bigger gathering all together. What do you think the challenge is for

Colm Eastwood? We heard Rick saying that as far as he's concerned the

number one challenge is electoral. He's got to put clear green water

between the SDLP and Sinn Fein and he's got to try and articulate what

it is the SDLP stands for and Sinn Fein stands for and what the choice

is that voters will be able to make in the May election. Is that

critical, as you see it as well? I think that's probably right.

Obviously the SDLP will try to distinguish themselves and they have

been distinguishing themselves during the course of the day for the

big parties, the DUP and Sinn Fein. They have they are in an electional

battle with Sinn Fein. They'll have to pick them up on electoral reform

and so on. They'll be presenting themselves as fresh and now now they

have a new leader but they'll also have to explain to the public how

they've had one foot in the executive and also one foot out. I

would love to think those people were applauding what you are saying

and agreeing with everything that you are saying in your answers,

Mark, and good on you if you think that's the case, I'm sure they do

agree with what you are saying but I think they may also be applauding

the candidates walking on to the platform behind you as well. Talk to

you in a moment. For now, thank you very much.

A very noisy Conference Hall. I wonder how he'd cope if he was at

the Donald Trump meeting. If the meeting ever happened! After what

happened in Chicago, who knows! ? Not quite as unruly as some of the

Donald Trump gatherings. More from Rick in a moment the SDLP ran panel

discussions today and the one on health was lively. Councillor Colin

McGrath from South Down made a contribution which provoked the

co-panelist. So much to discuss and so much that

east not working right that there is so much that we have to fix for our

communities. I think Bevan and his team got it right back. Universities

should be available and free at the point of delivery. The priorities

have changed from the 40s and medical procedures still in

existence today. I want to focus my thoughts on the concept of

universally available. I have to wonder in Northern Ireland today, is

our Health Service universally available? Is it universally

accessible to everyone? I think that if you live in the shadow of the

City tower block or in proximity to the Royal or down the road from

another hospital, I would say yes, you are able to universally access

the Health Service. I would say that, if you live close

to the dual carriageway near to an A-road or within touching distance

of an ambulance rest, you too might be able to universally access the

NHS. We must see a system fit for purpose and capable of delivering

safe, effective services in our communities and not away from them.

There was a bit of head-shaking around your comments earlier on so

I'm going to invite Deirdre to intervene. This is a Conference,

it's about debate and I didn't agree with win single word you said. But

that's fine. I think really why I didn't agree with it is because you

have to look at it the other way... We'll just leave Deirdre who was

just getting started in her criticism of the views expressed by

an SDLP councillor who is a candidate in South Down. Colm

Eastwood's come out a shade earlier than we were expecting, to be

honest, so he's been unable to contain his enthusiasm for the job

in hand. This is his first address as party leader and he's in his home

city and he is surrounded by the people who're supporting him. Let's

hear what he has to say. It's great to be introduced by

somebody of the calibre of Nicola Mallen. Nicola is going to be, I

have no doubt about it, the next MLA for North Belfast.

Thank you all very much for your welcome and thank you for making

this conference the huge success that it's been.

This party has a new feel, a new spirit about it. We have seen and

felt that today. This conference has shown a new

SDLP, a party full of new people and new ideas. I am happy to report,

conference, this is a party which feels good about itself again.

The people in this hall tonight and the many colleagues outside, the

values they represent and division they set the reason I am in

politics. I did not get into politics to sit on Pointless

committees or to keep things as they are, I got into politics to make a

difference. I am aware and privileged that I read this great

party which John Hume and Seamus Mallon shaped. I now live in an

Ireland which they imagined, which they fashioned, which they built. I

am conscious in this hall, in the city of Derry that I have the

privilege of following them. We have been left a powerful in inheritance.

The greatest legacy of this party is the lifting of the boot of violence

from the neck of our people, North and South. I was a teenager who felt

the euphoria which ran across our community, when the people of

Ireland chose to break free from the chains of violence. After so many

years of hardship and hurt, people openly embraced the proper innocence

of hope. I saw that hope. I believed in it and I joined the SDLP.

That same hope has carried me to this stage I stand on the night. But

no matter how attractive it can be, politics is never frozen in one

moment of hope. It is never frozen in one moment of time. The new

challenge is the next challenge. Politics has to be always about what

is next? Today's SDLP is firmly focused on the future. We are the

party of the new challenge, the party of the next challenge. Those

challenges are as big as ever. But we have of the heritage and the

hunger to meet them. In Dublin and London at the moment, there has been

much talk of the national interest. If anybody knows what the national

interest actually looks like, they should take a study of the SDLP. We

have degrees in the subject. From the early days of the Troubles, this

party put the Irish national interest at the top of our agenda

and never shifted from it. We put the safety and well-being of our

people first. And by that, I mean all our people. Catholic,

Protestant, Nationalist, using -- unionist, Southern and Northern. In

the pursuit of peace, the national interest as because we loan others

some of this. It is only good manners to let them know those days

have gone. Those days are now over. Let it be

known, conference, from here tonight, from this moment on, the

SDLP is calling in that loan. And while we're on the subject of

votes, the droid First Minister Martin McGuinness has announced he

is coming back into Derry and the expectation that he will be given

three seats. Well, Martin should take a look and see what happens in

Donegal recently. Three into two will not go! And in a couple of

short weeks, Derry will tell him the same, because the same verdict is

felt in the manner and Tyrone, in Armagh, in an chimp and ends down,

the North needs a different government, it needs a new

alternative -- and in County Down. Stormont must do more than simply

exist. I would joint First Minister is have failed to catch the public

mood -- our joint. Stability is no longer enough. Historic handshakes,

no longer enough. After nine years of broken promises, we now have a

right to expect better. It was not meant to be like this. We were all

promised so much more. This is true of unionist and Nationalist people

alike, there is no segregation in our disappointment. We are all

united by it. Look at the overall record of Stormont's current

leadership, one in four children live in poverty, one in five

pensioners live in poverty, almost 400,000 people currently run

hospital waiting lists. Four out of ten children in secondary school do

not achieve five or more passes at GCSE 11,000 households a year are

deemed to be homeless. One in five working adults struggles to keep

their head above the poverty line. This is their record. May's Assembly

election must be a referendum on their record.

And, conference, nowhere has their disjointed and dysfunctional

approach to government been more on show than in that approach to the

economy, education and skills. Martin McGuinness said this week in

an Assembly committee that our economy is, and I quote, in a

healthy enough place. Last year, 22,000 people were forced to leave

Northern Ireland because of a lack of opportunity at home. That is

around the population of Portadown. Tell those people we are in a

healthy enough place, tell the people of Ballymena we are in a

healthy enough place. Tell people living in the West of Belfast. Tell

those whose benefits have been frozen because of Sinn Fein's

decision to hand welfare powers to the Tories that we are in a healthy

enough place. Tell the farmers who have seen incomes dropped by

thousands of pounds this year that we are in a healthy enough place.

Tell the public sector workers, teachers, classroom assistants,

cleaners, nurses, who had been given a paltry 1% pay rise at best. That

does not sound very healthy to me, conference. And, conference top

macro --... It is not good enough. Here tonight,

I want to give some concrete assurances. In the upcoming

programme for government, we make secured and deliverable funding for

the A5 dual carriageway, be a six jewel carriageway and an expanded

university, key priorities before we join a government. That does not

mean fake commitments like with the present budget, with ?1 billion

worth of projects based on ?100 million worth of lending. But the

SDLP will go further. In the past, this party has stayed within the

Executive without signing up to a programme for government. That ends

now. We will only enter the Executive if

we can agree to a programme for government which actually meets the

needs of the people in the North. That programme for government needs

to include a commitment to distribute investment in jobs,

infrastructure, education across all of Northern Ireland. Not just parts

of Belfast and the suburbs. We will. This new partitioning of the North,

where West Belfast receives only 1% of total available assistance from

invest Northern Ireland. An area with the highest levels of child

poverty, the highest housing waiting list and some of the worst

deprivation in Europe receives just 1% of total job funds. Spending on

infrastructure and jobs must be targeted to the area where it is

required. Massive regional imbalance, this must be interest --

addressed. This is the promise I am making tonight. Between the SDLP and

the people in areas of need, we will not allow any future government to

ignore you. For any of our opponents watching

tonight, this is what proper politics looks like. After nine

years, Sinn Fein and the DUP have had one economic idea. The reduction

of corporation tax, and it was not even that idea. Instead of bringing

forward a range of economic measures to support this one idea, they

believe a reduction in incorporation tax loan will be a silver bullet.

The SDLP's thinking goes beyond this. We believe this simply is not

enough. We want to see the devolution of many more fiscal

powers. But also, of those functions like telecoms and broadcasting, not

currently devolved. We want more intensified north- South economic

integration and an All-Ireland plan for infrastructure. This needs to be

within blanc financial framework agreed with London giving Northern

Ireland sufficient financial security to take long-term

transitions such as our own tax system and welfare system. And such

a financial package should be for 30 years or more. And it would continue

in the event of the constitutional status of the North changing. No

other party has identified such a radical framework for prosperity.

That is what proper politics looks like. Right now, conference, we have

a failing economy. And when Stormont's leadership looks South

and sees lower corporation tax, what they fail to understand is the

diversity of policies which led to the Southern economy's success. One

of the South's main policies was to invest in education and skills.

Stormont's leadership are doing the opposite, our universities, further

education colleges and training centres should be flourishing

centres of learning, not floundering on tighter budgets and reduced

investment from the Northern Ireland Executive. We have already seen cuts

in courses and student places at Queen's and Ulster University. 37%

of students, 37% go abroad each year. The study. That cannot be

allowed to continue. But we also need to look at new ways of

learning. Our colleges must become centres of vocational excellence,

and those who do not take a traditional university route can

develop the skills and abilities that a modern economy requires. The

SDLP will not support a programme blog Club Med unless there are

agreed spending increases for vocational training, at university

places for undergraduates and postgraduates and apprenticeships.

Those who attack us for this stands while to understand the basic

premise of building an economy which can compete globally. In the South,

for every euro spent on higher education, they generate 4.25 for

the economy. For every 100 jobs at a university, 117 jobs are created

through the knock-on effect. We have greatly ring fenced health spending,

we spend millions on a divided primary and secondary level

education yet they can cut investment in third level and

training. We are spending hundreds of millions on redundancy payments

and hundreds of thousands on party political special advisers. We must

find the money to put our universities and our colleges back

on track so they can compete internationally.

Anyone who says we cannot should not be in politics. Under new SDLP

leadership, our young people will no longer be raised for export! This

evolution the proper politics is desperately required. The stillness

of government and its policy development means Northern Ireland

risks being left behind. This new age of globalisation is not in the

habit of waiting. The digitisation of our economy will form new

environments and grow new jobs, Western economies are undergoing a

revolution which new technologies are dictating. Such is the speed of

change, we may not yet be able to fully imagine the jobs of the

future. What we must prepare for them, nonetheless. The white heat of

this revolution requires an agile and innovative public sector. It

means escaping from a policy formation more focused on the

electoral cycle rather than the rebuilding for the future. That

future also requires the engineering of an economy which is

simultaneously able to provide shelter and opportunity among

spiralling volatility and an increasingly intimate global market.

Bringing prosperity and fairness to the North is vital if we are to

build towards the reunification of Ireland. The SDLP core mission boils

down to this understanding. A fractured Ireland will always be an

Ireland in waiting. It will never be fully at peace with its own

imagination. A fractured Ireland is a poor Ireland less capable of

achieving its full potential. But for Ireland to be reunited, Northern

Ireland has to work. This is the essence of our aggressive

nationalism. -- progressive. As I have said before, we now have a

selfish and strategic interest in making Northern Ireland work.

Although many have been slow to grasp the significance of that

statement, the ball should understand that this is a major

departure for Northern nationalism -- people. Working to build a new

North and strategically building our broader Nationalist vision. In the

run down to the centenary of 1916, we should remember and remind

ourselves that our faith rests on your parity and sovereignty of the

Irish people. And the people of Ireland have a different

understanding of what a good Republican is done some political

leaders. Good Republicans don't smuggle

diesel. Last week, we were reminded of dissident Republicanism and it

tends to escalate violence. The reminder came in the form of a bomb

under the van of a prison officer. In return, we must escalate our

response. Tonight, I invite all those parties who claim inheritance

of inspiration from 1916 to join with me in stating that violence

will never, ever, ever again be used as a political tactic.

APPLAUSE 100 years on, this will be a

powerful statement of the values and principles of today's Ireland. Those

who go against this, go against the sovereign authority of the Irish

people. They will be left to wander even further down a deed end.

They'll understand that they are in conflict with the Irish people,

no-one else. Let me tell them this - that is a fight you will never, ever

win. CHEERING AND APPLAUSE.

In marking 1916, we must also redouble our efforts to reconcile

with the unionist people of this Irelandth island. It was the great

Ulster poet John Hewitt who wrote, "this is my country, my grandfather

came here and raised his walls and gave his years and strength into the

earth," he was a great believer in identity in Ireland an described his

identity as Ulster, Irish, British and European. My grandfather fenced

the same tangled waste just outside Cookstown in the heart of Ulster. We

all belong to Ulster and it belongs to us.

We all belong to this island and it belongs to us. The SDLP has never

and will never deny or dilute the complex mix of identitied which

contribute to the richness of Ireland. But the proper protection

and respect of an identity does not result in politics standing still.

Everyone and anyone can see that this is a time of shifting sands.

Momentum is changing in politics and changing the boundaries of power.

Such change demands an adult and mature engagement. We know what the

United Kingdom looks like. We know Westminster and the devolved

Stormont, we know of the block grant and unionism's deep personal

attachment to the Queen and to the history of two World Wars in which

all our grandfathers died and to all those things this party respectfully

bows its head. We also know the block grant is shrinking. We know

the emotional attachment is not as strongly reciprocated from what

unionism calls the mainland. Scotland is edging towards

independence and the population figures in the north are moving

toward a 50/50 balance between unionism and nationalism. We know

what the UK looks like, we don't yet know what a United Ireland would

look like. That picture cannot be properly drawn unless unionism feel

frees itself enough to engage in that dialogue. I've met plenty of

civic and church leaders who're welcoming of mature debate and who

can read the signs of the times as well as I can. I want to begin a

credible conversation with unionism to describe the Ireland that would

include the things that are core to their British identity. I invite

them to join us in looking at a new Ireland in which the Ulster identity

would be as sfral and comfortable as the other three provincial

identities. I would be comfortable with nothing less, as an Ulster man.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE. The SDLP is ready to put in the hard

yards for the elusive prize of reconciliation. When we look at

different areas of people's lives, we realise that the only place where

real progress has been made is in the work place and in most work

places, people are treated equally and fairly and generally leave their

political baggage at the door. This required hard legislation. In other

areas of life such as housing, where we live, there is deep religious

segregation. The SDLP will drive for fundamental housing reform,

including strong legislation to help bring people together. In our

streets and sports clubs, people's lives outside of their home or work,

there is also deep division. In many ways, the two communities lead very

different lives. The SDLP will develop a plan for reconciliation in

these areas so that difference means diversity raesht than division. As

the June referendum approaches, it's important to say that this party are

also part, proudly part, of a broader continental identity. The

referendum in Europe comes after the May election, but it may be in first

place. This party were never half hearted or lukewarm or careful about

our membership of Europe, we are no Jerry come latelies. We knew...

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE. We knew the political and economic

isolationalism were more likely to lead to conflict and economic

depression. We knew that peace is to be found in dialogue and celebration

of difference. The prosperity is to be found in cooperation and open

borders. We have championed the European Union. Like every human I

think Station substitution, it's not perfect. But like democracy itself,

it's better than the alternatives. This party has the heritage and

calibre to lead the debate on staying loyal to the European Union

between now and June 24th, that is exactly what we'll do, that is

exactly what the SDLP will do. To those who've come here and made

their homes here, from Poland, Slovakia, Lithuania, Latvia and

across the European Union, I say to you tonight, we won't let your

families be divided, we won't allow new borders on this island or in

Europe, we, the Social Democratic and Labour Party, we've got your

back. APPLAUSE.

Conference, the late, great Seamus Heaney once said the voice of sanity

is getting hoarse. . But our voice is back and it's getting stronger by

the day. The SDLP's back in the conversation. Politics always offers

a choice. But you need to back that choice. You need to vote for it.

Frustration isn't cured by staying at home. Vote for change on May 5th,

vote for the SDLP. Conference, our past is as proud as our future is

promising. We can build a better Ireland, we can build a better

Northern Ireland, we can build a fairer future, we can build a better

future. Let's build it together. Thank you very much.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE. STUDIO: So the leader and Deputy

Leader Colum Eastwood and feral McKinney take the applause of those

in the hall. -- Fergal McKinney. Sean Rodgers shaking hands...

That, I assume, is Mrs Eastwood. Yes. And Fergal McKinney is basking

in the reflected glory, is he, Rick? I wonder.

PROBLEM WITH SOUND He may not be Deputy Leader for much

longer. The speech was delivered with great enthusiasm. I have to

say, it's invidious to talk comparisons, but he was miles better

than the speeches of his predecessor, it was delivered with

real self-belief, confidence and passion.

It clearly was something that the audience was wishing to hear. They

were very receptive to it. He got quite a number of bursts of

applause. Margaret Richie there, the former leader of the party, was just

hugging him from the floor. There he is with John Hulme, his political

mentor, and he makes no secret of that fact, it was John Hulme and his

actions and Seamus Mallen's leadership that brought him to the

stage today. He said Mark Durkan as well, another predecessor, with him,

it's a home city for all of those men, actually. John Hulme's wife Pat

there. John Hulme not in the best of health but obviously on an occasion

like this, he's a man who'll feel very at home in the gathered

company. He still has that heroic status within the SDLP. Absolutely.

He definitely walks on water no, doubt about that, for the party

faithful. And many others too. I saw one or two of my former student

there is in the audience. Look, you can tell, I think this is a party

that's expressing enthusiasm and some relief that this is a man who's

risen to some extent, to the occasion, unlike some who could

never deliver a speech in this way. Eastwood had a number of swipes at

Sinn Fein. Not least in relation to the European Union deciding in

effect that they were Johnny come latelies. The SDLP's support for the

European Union, of course. His particular line also about what

constitutes a good Republican was an absolute slap in the face with a wet

fish for Gerry Adams who described someone who was convicted of

offences as a good Republican, so not in the SDLP's book.

That is interesting, the good Republican line went down very well.

His attack on dissidents and recent activity went down very well too.

The other thing I thought was fascinating was that attempt to

reach out to perhaps moderate unionism. He was quoting John

Hewitt, talking about regional identity, Hewitt's idea of identity

being Ulster British and European. But it's interesting that it was all

within the context of Irishness, rather than Britishness. It

certainly was. He was trying to do two things, he was trying to hold

out something of an olive bran torch some unionists to say, let's have a

proper conversation about what Irish identity might mean and what it

might mean to you in terms of reconciling it with your Irish

identity. When you look at the reality, the real politics of this,

he talked about a financial compact with the Treasury, the UK Treasury.

If the constitution of nailed was to change over the next 30 years, that

is. -- constitution of Northern Ireland changed over the next 30

years. It's trying to keep Northern Ireland economically afloat. The UK,

as a whole, goodness knows what is going to happen at the referendum in

June. Bizarrely, he got the date for that wrong. He said June 24th and

it's 23rd, of course. If the SDLP turn up on the 24th, they'll be a

bit late so that was a terrible mistake to make. The UK is going

through a torrid period. What they needed with a leader like him, we

were bristling with public spending, so in terms of tackling justice

issues which he made much of, the money is going to be in relatively

short supply. Our economic base is relatively weak, as he said himself.

We are not in a strong place. More from you between now and 9 o'clock.

But we are going to go back to the Hall, thanks for now, Rick, here is

Mark Devonport who was watching Colum Eastwood's speech for us. He's

been joined by a couple of well-known faces.

That's right. A couple of the representative who is were on stage

behind me have raced up to share their thoughts on that speech. Two

Belfast representatives with me, Nicola Mallen. First of all, how did

you think that came across in the Hall, whatever it seemed like to our

live television audience? I thought it was very strong. Colum's set out

our stall and most importantly he set out the stall going beyond that.

This was not a conference but an election rally wasn't it, Alex? It

was an election rally, yes, it was shaping the politics and the choices

of the next few weeks, but Colum also shaped the politics and choices

of the next decades because yes, he said this election was going to be a

referendum on how the DUP and Sinn Fein had so let people down, but he

then began to scoop out what a new Government should look like and he

scooped out a wider conversation, both in terms of financial

guarantees for Northern Ireland from London and a conversation of

unionism about the shape of our country long beyond the selection.

That's very immediate politics and far-seeing politics. Nicola, he said

he wanted it to be a referendum on Stormont's leadership.

Do you not share the responsibility if Stormont's not delivered over the

past few years? We have shared responsibility for the departments

and I have worked with the minister and he's brought forward substantial

pieces of legislation. We have seen the biggest shake-up of road traffic

and a whole range of legislation so we can stand confidently on our role

and performance. Colum was very clear, there is a referendum on the

performance. People are fed up. It's not good. Historic hand shakes don't

go far enough, people want to see improvements to the health care,

education, skills, development, we want to see an tend to 22,000 young

people feeling forced to flee our shores every year. He said there is

a red line that you want to see spending increases in relation to

vocational spending, university places and aapprenticeships. Given

Stormont is dealing with a diminishing bit of pie, where would

you take the money from? It's very easy to pronounce increase, where

will the cut be? We have found ?7 million to make

people redundant so Irish I'm sure we can find the money. In the South,

1 euro yields a return of over four so it is an investment and I am sure

the money can be found and Colum will set out how. He said he wanted

to have a conversation about a new Ireland with core elements of the

British ideas and he talked about the need to include an Ulster

identity. Should they in their outreach programmes, they have been

ahead of the game? The SDLP has been in conversation with unionism since

the day of our birth and that conversation saw fruition and saw it

prosper in the Good Friday Agreement. But it is quite clear

with the potential of withdrawal from the European Union and the

potential of Scotland withdrawing from the British union with

devolution to various parts of Britain and Northern Ireland, there

is a need for a new conversation. The people of the best shape that

and engage with that, and the best to do that is the SDLP because we

persuaded union -- unionism in the past Commission paints get them in

the past and we want to take that conversation to a new level. It is

necessary because with a shifting sands in terms of politics,

government and constitutional issues, there is a conversation and

Colum Eastwood wants to shape that and still read it. And take it in a

way we have not seen before. You have a new vibrant leader but in

terms of the electrode that electoral statistics, Nichola

Mallon, is it not true that the SDLP will be relieved if you stay when

you are rather than losing more ground to Sinn Fein? No one can

question there is a hunger in the SDLP for each of our candidates to

win and we will set out to win our seats, not just to win but to also

build a better future for people. You will be trying to hold your own.

You face competition in West Belfast not just from Sinn Fein but also

others. We all welcome competition because we are Irish Democrats. And

we value the practice of Irish democracy. Select the democracy

prevail. But the critical thing is that Colum said the frustration with

our government should not mean people do not come out to vote. If

people want to shape something different from what we have had for

the last decade and people are frustrated, they have the vote in

May, in order to have people in negotiations for the programme for

government that can see a better politics, a better government and

better public services on the far side of the election. That is the

SDLP and if you go into the manner, South Down, Newry, many other

places, very few votes for the SDLP. That is how to send messages to

those who have hailed and is to respond to the prostration of

politics. The base electoral, tissue in Belfast and we facing noisy

elements in the hall. Back to the studio. -- you face.

Full stop interesting to hear those thoughts. They were discussing

something you were struck with, the fact that Colum Eastwood arguably

has made himself a hostage to fortune on a number of red line

issues. Mark was discussing that. He said have to be in the programme for

government is the SDLP is to sign up to a place in the Executive. Should

he be showing his hand at this stage? A good poker player does not

show his hand. He has set out a wish list. The A5 expansion, greater

investment in further education, skills strategy. This basically

saying these do not get fulfilled in the 14 days of negotiations

following the election, presumably they will exercise the opposition

option. You might have thought, because there have been discussions

between your steed unionist and the SDLP, that might have been an

appropriate juncture in the speech to make something of an overture or

the other parties who may feel disaffected, their wish list are not

going to be made during that period and they could walk into opposition

together, not least the Ulster Unionists who have already taken

that step even though it is not an official opposition. It is a bit

unwise to put so much of your wish list on public display. We should

not underestimate the scale of the mountain the SDLP has to climb. Alex

Attwood and Nichola Mallon both saying there is a renewed vigour,

enthusiasm and determination in the SDLP and perhaps that is the case.

The figures we were talking about, since 1998, the party's vote share

has fallen from 22% to 14%. It has lost some like 84,000 votes. That is

an awful what. And in large trunk of those have gone to pain. -- an awful

lot. Their vote has gone up exponentially. I have to try and win

some of that back and mobilise perhaps people who were SDLP

sympathetic to vote -- they have. Turnout has also fallen quite

genetically since 1998. Will it reach 50% in May? That is not a

given. They are down from 24 to 14 seats. They lost two at the last

Assembly election under the leadership of Margaret Ritchie. If

you look at the figures and the seats and vote share and number of

votes, the graph is downwards. It has continued to downwards. They

were overtaken by Sinn Fein for the first time in 2001, they have fallen

further behind ever since so it is a massive obstacle. This is a huge

challenge up the hill. Voter turnout is relevance, it is down. But at the

point where turnout has been falling, Sinn Fein's vote has been

climbing and that is an important qualification. Absolutely, they were

mobilising people who would not have otherwise voted and they have stolen

a lot of votes from the SDLP so it is a massive challenge for them. A

final thought in a moment but back now to mark in Derry.

A bit of a comedy moment we had here earlier. I was going to talk to

Dolores Carrey and Jerry and they were being introduced on the stage

as they were up here so it was like that US Republican thing, the big

introduction came and nobody made it onto the stage because I was holding

queue here. For the second time, you have made it to the gallery here in

St Columb's Hall. It goes down well with the SDLP supporters, this

speech, but you both face a tough fight in your constituencies. Can

you hold on to what you have got, Dolores Kellie? Many say you could

take that have your seat taken away by Sinn Fein. Sinn Fein have

targeted my seat and are working hard as they did ideas ago to take

it away but we have a Royal set of voters in Upper Bann and I am

confident they will come out to support me -- loyal. We have spoken

to people about the issues that matter and they are fed up with the

continued division and disinterest by the two big parties on the issues

that affect them day-to-day. In his speech, Colum Eastwood said the

Donegal would provide the President Sinn Fein were stretching themselves

too far, is that not wishful thinking with Martin McGuinness back

in Derry, it will be difficult to hold onto your receipts? It is not

wise to run a political contest like right. People in Derry will probably

wonder why now, white is Martin McGuinness coming back here after

representing somewhere else for two decades? It will be run like a tight

fight but the two has a strong track record in Derry and this tonight is

an exciting proposition from a young party leader who will take our party

forward into the election and deliver a positive result, not only

in Foyle but across the North. He did have a red Line in negotiations

for future government and that was to do with higher education, is that

you only Red Line? Is that going to be the ultimate decider between when

you join a future Executive or not? You know that I am not going to set

up the manifesto this evening but you have heard pledges within the

leader's speech. Higher education is very important because it will drive

the economy forward. We are one of the few places under investing in

further and higher education along with corporation tax, how is that

going to take us forward? We need proper investment. We will bring

policies forward in our manifesto and I think the SDLP has a new story

to tell. In the past, you have been an advocate of the SDLP going into

opposition, the problem is you are now at the end of an Assembly term

and has not -- and have not gone into opposition so this attempt to

differentiate yourself from the big two is coming late in the day. I do

not accept that. There was no place called opposition, the Ulster

Unionist Party have faced criticism from all quarters on the stands they

took before Christmas. At least they did it. And opposition Bill has been

passed through Parliament, heavily amended by the SDLP. We put our

stamp on the opposition. The SDLP is going to get a strong mandate to go

into power, no party campaigns to go into opposition but we want to see a

programme for government that is fit for purpose, that delivers for all

of the people and not the constituent interests of the DUP and

Sinn Fein. We saw Gerry Adams this week nominated for the position of

Taoiseach. Sinn Fein have 23 TDs. How do you persuade young

Nationalists they should return to the SDLP even if they ever were with

them, should Sinn Fein have the wind in their sales? Sinn Fein have

played two different stories. Anti-austerity down South while a

peer, they have solidified the circumstances to implement Tory

cuts, so I think the people of the North and Foyle will be aware of

that. Nine years of Munda livery with the current Executive, people

are angry and they want young people able to stay at home and think of a

future and job in Northern Ireland, that is what the SDLP can deliver

and what has not been delivered. And it is a myth about young people. I

was with young people yesterday and they do not understand. This time

will be the first post but Friday agreement votes will be asked and I

hope they vote for the party that puts their needs first -- votes will

be made. Colum Eastwood mentioned the June referendum and he got the

day wrong, you said June 24 -- he said. According to eagle eyed

listeners in the studio. How important is that as part the SDLP

pitch, Europe has always been part of the peace process? Europe was the

perfect post-conflict idea and philosophy that served the last

entry well and has served us well, especially in the North. And we are

a net beneficiary of the funds so the SDLP is very strongly

pro-European and we are not a Johnny come lately to the motion of Better

Together campaigning. People helping to lift everyone and give everybody

hope and ambition right across Europe is the best way forward.

Thank you, Bob. That is all we have time for at St Columb's Hall. Back

to you. -- thank you, Bob. A final word, you

were saying at the beginning what Colum Eastwood had to do was

establish clear water between the SDLP and Sinn Fein and he was

asking, how would you persuade young Nationalists the vote all the SDLP

rather than she said when Sinn Fein seems to have the wind in its back?

A very fair question and very fair point and it underscores the

enormity of the challenge party has. I am not sure there is enough in

that speech to say, this is where we are markedly in policy terms

different from Sinn Fein. I am not sure if there is any Green water. It

is relatively a little puddle. On so many issues, they share the same

album. They can compete over which is more disposed towards promoting

social justice. They each have a claim on that. Where the SDLP has an

advantage, a tactical advantage, is the fact that the Sinn Fein has an

effect repatriated welfare power to the UK government to the Department

of Work and Pensions. And on that, they do have them not quite by the

throat. But they can certainly deliver a hefty blow on that issue.

Colum Eastwood's speech was fervent and for the most part well

delivered. But it certainly rallied the troops, but did he create a

distinctive policy agenda that distinguishes them from Sinn Fein? I

do not think so. That is it from us. Join us tomorrow, Colum Eastwood

will join us on the programme. Until then, good night.