Ms Br∅d Rodgers has won the deputy leadership of the SDLP by a convincing margin. Her election victory was announced at the SDLP conference yesterday morning.
Many delegates had expected a much closer result. Some 451 voted by proportional representation in the contest in which five candidates had declared. The others were: Mr Alban Maginness, Assembly member for North Belfast and a former Lord Mayor; Ms Margaret Ritchie, a councillor from Co Down and aide to Mr Eddie McGrady; Mr Denis Haughey a junior minister in the North's executive; and Mr Sean Farren, the Minister for Employment and Learning.
Ms Rodgers secured 180 first preferences and was declared elected to succeed Mr SΘamus Mallon on the third count with 234 votes. The quota was 226.
Her nearest rival was Mr Maginness who won 92 first preferences and had 124 votes at the final count. Ms Rodgers, the North's agriculture minister, congratulated Mr Mark Durkan on winning the leadership and also paid tribute to her rivals in the deputy leadership race. She told a packed conference hall the contest had re-energised the SDLP.
In her address, she said the party had seen its ideas turned into realities through the Belfast Agreement. She added: "We have left behind us the politics of the slogan, the politics of rhetoric, the politics of bomb and bullet, all that was worst in the old Ireland. We must leave behind us the futile and destructive view that our conflict can be resolved by the victory of nationalism over unionism."
Turning to newer SDLP members she said: "Your generation has been handed a blank canvass. Only the outline is visible. It presents you with a challenge and an opportunity to create the new Ireland, a truly united Ireland, based on equality, partnership and respect for difference. You will fill in that canvass and leave behind for future generations the Ireland that John Hume dreamt of and for which he laid the corner stone."
She emphasised her belief in social democracy and said the party must rededicate itself to campaigning. The SDLP was founded to do so and must fight for social issues including education, health, and the environment. She backed the euro and said: "We will speak up where we see injustice, be it on the Ardoyne Road or in the refugee camps of Afghanistan." Ms Rodgers contested the West Tyrone seat at the Westminster election last June which was won by S∅nn Fein's Mr Pat Doherty.
Originally from Gweedore in the Co Donegal gaeltacht, she has lived in Lurgan, Co Armagh, since 1960.
She is a former SDLP general secretary and was appointed to the Seanad where she served from 1893-87. She now represents Upper Bann in the Northern Ireland Assembly and is was nominated Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development in November 1999.
VOTING: Valid poll, 451 Quota 226 First count: Sean Farren 54, Denis Haughey 62, Margaret Ritchie 63, Alban Maginness 92, Br∅d Rodgers 180. Third and final count: (Sean Farren and Denis Haughey eliminated.) Margaret Ritchie 89, Alban Maginness 124, Br∅d Rodgers 234.