SDLP Youth will be taking part in the ‘Pride March’ on Saturday 1st August in Belfast City Centre.

SDLP Youth Chair Peter Armstrong is keen for as many SDLP members and elected representatives to attend the march. This will be our 5th year participating in the parade.

Belfast Pride March is a colourful carnival parade through Belfast city centre, starting at Custom House Square at 2pm sharp and returning to the Square for a free party afterwards.

Pride Week is about raising awareness of issues relating to gay and lesbian people and increasing their visibility within society. Please visit the Belfast Pride website for more details.

*Please note that due to clashes with other events, the date for SDLP Youth Conference has changed from 27th June to 5th September 2009. We hope the new date suits better for our members, supporters, speakers and exhibitors. Please find an updated invitation with new deadlines for motions/nominations.*

Dear Member

I am delighted to announce the SDLP Youth Annual Conference will take place on Saturday 5th September from 10am to 6pm at the Wellington Park Hotel in Belfast. All party members are invited to the Conference, and we would ask you to confirm your attendance early.

The conference is an opportunity for SDLP Youth to debate motions, to formulate policy papers and decide our priorities and policies for the coming year.

At the conference, the SDLP Youth Executive for 2009/10 will be elected and we are now inviting members of the party aged 30 and under to nominate themselves to run for the positions. The eight posts available are: Chair, Vice-Chair, Public Relations Officer, Campaigns Officer, Treasurer, Secretary, Universities & Colleges Officer, and International Officer.

The election will take place between 10am and 1pm at the conference, with counting taking place in the afternoon and the results announced thereafter. The election will be operated using the PR-STV system. To be entitled to vote, you must be a paid-up 2009 party member, aged 30 and under, on 1st September 2009.

The deadline for submitting motions for conference or nomination to run for election to the Executive is extended until 5pm on 21st August 2009, but we would still urge you to submit these as soon as possible.

If you wish to attend conference, run for election, or submit motions please contact Janine Irvine on 028 9024 7700 or email janine.irvine AT sdlphq.ie

Regards,

Peter Armstrong
Chair

Katherine McCloskey
Vice-Chair

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Important Dates
Deadline for submitting motions 21st August 2009 5pm
Deadline for election nominations 21st August 2009 5pm
Deadline for paying membership to HQ 1st September 2009
Date of conference 5th September 2009

Dear Friend

This is a reminder that the SDLP Youth Annual Conference will take place on Saturday 27th June 2009 at the Wellington Park Hotel in Belfast.

All party members and supporters should have received invites to the Conference, and we are asking that you to confirm your attendance, submit motions, and put forward nominations for Youth Executive as soon as possible by contacting Janine Irvine on 028 9024 7700 or email janine.irvine AT sdlphq.ie.

Since we have been busy electioneering, we have extended the deadline for Submitting motions and Election Nominations to Monday 15th June 2009 5pm.

Election Nominations - The Youth Executive posts available are: Chair, Vice-Chair, Public Relations Officer, Campaigns Officer, Treasurer, Secretary, Universities & Colleges Officer, and International Officer. I would encourage all members to consider running for a position, or suggesting members that you think should run.

Submitting Motions - The motions passed at Youth Conference help us to formulate policy papers and decide our priorities and policies for the coming year. Motions passed at Youth Conference are put forward to Party Conference and in many cases become SDLP party policy.

Regards,

Peter Armstrong

Chair
SDLP Youth

Hi Folks

We are now 15 days away from winning back the SDLP’s seat in Europe. The campaign is gaining real momentum and Alban is playing a blinder. Political commentators are realising Alban can take a seat. Jim Nicholson is realising his seat could now be lost, and Jim Allister admits: “the SDLP could slip into a second seat“. The SDLP have a real chance to represent NI in Europe for the next 5 years. We can win and you can make it happen.

We must all do our best over the next 2 weeks to get our friends, family, neighbours and community behind Alban. There are canvass teams out on the ground every day in every constituency, and I’d urge you to support them.

Party HQ has organised a Grand Prize Draw with proceeds in aid of Alban’s European Election Campaign Fund & Local Branches. Prizes include a brand new car from Donnelly Group, three cash prizes, and All-Ireland tickets.

1st Prize: New Mitsubishi Colt
2nd Prize: £2,000
3rd Prize: £1,000
4th Prize: £500
5th Prize: 2 All-Ireland Tickets (2009 Football Final)

Tickets are sold at £1 per line or £10 per card.

I was sent a batch of tickets to sell about a month ago, but time flies and now there’s only a few days left, so I’d appreciate your help!

£10 isn’t much and look at the prizes! I’ll buy £20 worth myself and I’d encourage others to do similar!

Please get in touch if you’d like to purchase some tickets (info AT sdlpyouth.com). I think the deadline is this Friday and the draw takes place on 30th May. There are lots of ways to pay and you’ll get full proof of purchase!

Best wishes

Peter Armstrong

Chair
SDLP Youth

Hello all – me again.

When I posted last week – I had a fairly tenuous quote from an Alliance Party source upon which I hung my assertion that Alban Maginness is in the race for a seat in this election. I admit now that I was stretching things somewhat. Ever since, I’ve been hoping that I’d be able to e-mail you again with something more substantive to underline my deeply held belief that the wind is at the SDLP’s back.

Then the sitting Ulster Conservative and Unionist MEP, Jim Nicholson, went on BBC Radio Ulster on Sunday and said:

“The Unionist people of Northern Ireland are in danger of losing one of the two seats that they hold in the European Parliament. No one can call the outcome of this election. This is one election you cannot predict in any way, shape or form. But there is a great danger out there that with the Unionist vote being shredded three ways that two of the seats would not go to Unionists.”

And today, TUV MEP, Jim Allister went further still:

“There is a danger then that the SDLP could slip into a second seat…”

Add these to Liam Clarke’s comment in the Sunday Times:

“…Nicholson, who traditionally fights with the SDLP for the last seat, could become an also ran.”

People: it really is game on. The SDLP campaign is gaining momentum. Alban is playing an absolute blinder. We have 17 days to win back the SDLP seat in Europe. That is the prize. Let’s keep going.

Best wishes

Ronan McCay
Director of Organisation & Election Planning

An article by William Graham in the Irish News should underline the reality for us all that – if we work for it over the next 27 days – Alban Maginness can win back the SDLP seat in Europe:

“There will also be considerable interest in the third seat held by Ulster Unionist Jim Nicholson and whether there is any possibility of the SDLP’s Alban Maginness being in with a chance of coming through the middle. Research for the SDLP by an American, Dr Michael Moriarty, points to 65 000 potential new voters on the register and claims that the breakdown is approximately 50 000 nationalist and 15 000 unionist. He adds that the party needs an additional 20 000 votes to win a seat.

“Most observers believe the SDLP faces an uphill battle if it is to come within range although there could be a knock-on effect from the Allister factor that would mean the UUP vote starting from a much lower projected figure…”

Commentators could have been writing the SDLP off by now, but they’re not. They’re saying we’re very much in the race. The Irish News article shows that this election is game on, that it’s in our hands and that it can be done.

Michael Moriarty is telling us we need to add at least 20 000 votes to our 2004 total to be really in with a shout. Let’s look at two key facts:
(1) In the 2004 European election, the SDLP polled 87 559.
(2) In the 2005 Westminster election, less than one year later, we polled 125 626.
So less than a year after the 2004 election, we didn’t just add 20 000 votes to our 2004 total – we added 38 067. We’ve done it before and we can do it again.

Like many of you, every election I’ve been involved in has been an “uphill battle”. None more so than the 2005 Westminster campaign in Foyle. With pure hard work on the ground, we won then. The same attitude and approach will see us win now. Alban Maginness has been campaigning tirelessly and brilliantly for months now. Let’s all get out there for the last few weeks and give everything we have to make this happen.

Best wishes

Ronan McCay
Director of Organisation & Election Planning

Dear Member,

I am delighted to announce the SDLP Youth Annual Conference will take place on Saturday 27th June from 10am to 6pm at the Wellington Park Hotel in Belfast. All party members are invited to the Conference, and we would ask you to confirm your attendance early.

The conference is an opportunity for SDLP Youth to debate motions, to formulate policy papers and decide our priorities and policies for the coming year.

At the conference, the SDLP Youth Executive for 2009/10 will be elected and we are now inviting members of the party aged 30 and under to nominate themselves to run for the positions. The seven posts available are: Chair, Vice-Chair, Public Relations Officer, Campaigns Officer, Treasurer, Secretary, and Universities & Colleges Officer.

The election will take place between 10am and 1pm at the conference, with counting taking place in the afternoon and the results announced thereafter. The election will be operated using the PR-STV system. To be entitled to vote, you must be a paid-up 2009 party member, aged 30 and under, on 23rd June 2009.

The deadline for nomination to run for election to the Executive is 5pm on 12th June 2009.

The deadline for submitting motions for conference is 5th June 2009.

If you wish to attend conference, run for election, or submit motions please contact Janine Irvine in SDLP HQ on 028 9024 7700 or email janine.irvine AT sdlphq.ie

We would also encourage you to join this event on Facebook.

Regards,

Peter Armstrong
Chair

Katherine McCloskey
Vice-Chair

Gerry Conlon from the Guildford Four will join Breege Quinn at an SDLP event in Newry on Wednesday evening called ‘Justice Denied: A Public Discussion’.

Mr Conlon, who was wrongfully imprisoned for 15 years, will join the panel alongside Mrs Quinn from Cullyhanna, whose son was beaten to death 18 months ago. Also speaking will be Anne Morgan, whose brother Seamus Ruddy is one of the Disappeared, and justice campaigner Raymond McCord. SDLP Justice Spokesperson Alban Maginness will address the gathering too.

The meeting will offer an opportunity to hear the personal experiences of people who have suffered from miscarriages of justice or have had justice denied to them.

Speaking ahead of the event, Gerry Conlon said: “Thankfully we are now living in more peaceful times. However, for many people, the events of the past still cast a shadow over their lives, and more needs to be done to correct wrongs and bring closure.

“I’d encourage people to come along to this meeting to hear from the experiences of people who have been denied justice, and to share their own stories. This will be a powerful, yet very interesting event.”

Breege Quinn added: “We intend to keep our campaign going until we get justice for Paul, so we welcome every opportunity to speak on any platform to get that message across, especially to his murderers. We have a lot in common and a lot to learn from other families that have lost members by murder.”

The public meeting will take place in the Canal Court Hotel, Newry at 7.30pm on Wednesday 22 April. Admission is free and anyone can attend.

Members Notice

Members wishing to attend please contact Alex Attwood’s Office on 028 9080 7808

Dear Colleague,

This September is the tenth anniversary of the publication of the Patten Report on Policing.  The SDLP is organizing a series of anniversary events during 2009 to reflect on policing developments over the last decade and to consider policing challenges over the next.

The first Patten Anniversary Event which will take place on Saturday 28 March 2009 at St. Mary’s University, Falls Road, Belfast and will look at “Policing and Oversight at times of threat“.  The content of the first event has been revised given the recent terrible murders.  The Programme is attached.

I am writing to invite you to attend the Conference.  I hope you will consider its content is timely and relevant.

Yours sincerely,

ALEX ATTWOOD,

SDLP ASSEMBLY MEMBER, WEST BELFAST.

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