The Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP; Irish: Páirtí Sóisialta Daonlathach an Lucht Oibre) is a social-democratic political party in Northern Ireland. The SDLP has fraternal links with other European social-democratic parties, including the Irish Labour Party and British Labour Party (neither of which contest elections in Northern Ireland). It is affiliated to the Socialist International and Party of European Socialists.
The SDLP is also an Irish nationalist party. Its basic party platform advocates Irish reunification, and the further devolution of powers while Northern Ireland remains part of the United Kingdom. During the Troubles, the SDLP was the most popular Irish nationalist party in Northern Ireland, but since the Provisional IRA ceasefire in 1994 it has lost ground to the republican party Sinn Féin, which in 2001 became the more popular of the two parties for the first time. Established during the Troubles, a significant difference between the two parties was the SDLP's rejection of violence, in contrast to Sinn Féin's support for the Provisional IRA.
The SDLP currently has three MPs in the House of Commons, and 14 MLAs in the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Read more about Social Democratic And Labour Party: Foundation and Early History, Aims, The Belfast Agreement and Return To Government, Electoral Performance, Possible Merger, Westminster Parliament, Proposed Dáil Participation, Remembrance Day 2010, Leadership Challenge and Election, 2011, Leaders, Deputy Leaders
Famous quotes containing the words social, democratic, labour and/or party:
“Being in a family is like being in a play. Each birth order position is like a different part in a play, with distinct and separate characteristics for each part. Therefore, if one sibling has already filled a part, such as the good child, other siblings may feel they have to find other parts to play, such as rebellious child, academic child, athletic child, social child, and so on.”
—Jane Nelson (20th century)
“It is the American vice, the democratic disease which expresses its tyranny by reducing everything unique to the level of the herd.”
—Henry Miller (1891–1980)
“When he painted a road, the roadmakers were there in his imagination. When he painted the turned earth of a ploughed field, the gesture of the blade turning the earth was included in his own act. Wherever he looked he saw the labour of existence; and this labour, recognized as such, was what constituted reality for him.”
—John Berger (b. 1926)
“Death is hacking away at my address book and party lists.”
—Mason Cooley (b. 1927)