MARGARET RITCHIE decisively won the leadership of the SDLP, beating her sole rival, South Belfast MP Alasdair McDonnell by 222 votes to 187.
The result of the four-month election battle to fill the position vacated by Mark Durkan was announced yesterday on the third day of the party’s annual conference.
The election was fiercely contested with some bitter divisions visible between the two camps and evidence of some lingering resentment over the manner of Mr Durkan’s departure from the leadership after eight years.
Dr McDonnell (60), though visibly disappointed, immediately congratulated his opponent. “This has been a great campaign, it has shifted the axis of the party back to the grassroots where it should be. Politics is about making decisions – sometimes you get it right or wrong. We have got to back Margaret.”
He had fought his campaign on a platform of thorough reorganisation of party structures. But he admitted too many delegates found his plans “either too radical or not necessary”.
Ms Ritchie (51) called for party unity and pledged to turn around the party’s electoral reversals of recent years. “This is a special moment for me and also a deeply humbling one,” she told conference. “I will put my heart and soul into this and I will never let you down. I have a daunting record to live up to. Things will be different.
“My speeches won’t be as good but they will be shorter. The people will possibly be different, I want to bring people in. I want to give everyone a chance to succeed. Everyone starts with a clean sheet with me,” she vowed.
“We can put our party back on top and for the sake of the people of the North we must put our party back on top.”
Referring to her defeated opponent, she said: “I know Alasdair is going to retain South Belfast and every one of us must put our shoulder to the wheel to ensure that happens.” She spoke of her bids first for her local council, the Assembly, for ministerial office and for the leadership.
“You may ask if there’s no end to this woman’s ambition,” she said. “Well there is – I want our party to rise again and I want to become First Minister.”
The SDLP has also chosen Mid Ulster Assembly member Patsy McGlone as deputy leader. He was deemed elected unopposed and replaces Dr McDonnell who stood down to contest the leadership.
In his address to conference, Mr McGlone, a former party general secretary, said he had joined the party to deliver Irish unity, to stand up for the rights of those who were discriminated against and to see the gun and bomb removed from Irish politics.
In keeping with a strong conference theme, he criticised the Sinn Féin-DUP leadership of the Stormont Executive. “They fear the future the Good Friday agreement promised because they remain parties of conflict, not reconciliation.
“I couldn’t care less if Robinson and McGuinness are friends. What I care about is the government of the North delivering on the issues that affect people. Robinson and McGuinness fail on leading, the DUP-Sinn Féin axis fails on delivering . . . I am a constitutional republican. Not the failed, violent, false republicanism of others.”
Among the first to congratulate Ms Ritchie was Taoiseach Brian Cowen who attended the conference on Saturday evening.
“In assuming the office of SDLP leader, she follows in one of the most distinguished lines in Irish political history,” he said. “I am sure she will continue that proud tradition into the future.”
Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny and Labour Party leader Eamon Gilmore, both of whom also attended the conference, similarly congratulated Ms Ritchie. In addition, Mr Kenny praised Mr Durkan for his “fearless” leadership, while Mr Gilmore said Ms Ritchie had already proved herself to be a capable and innovative minister.