The North’s Minister for Social Development Margaret Ritchie has declared herself a candidate for leadership of the SDLP to succeed Mark Durkan when he steps down at the party annual conference in February.
South Down Assembly member Ms Ritchie, the only SDLP member on the Northern Executive and the first SDLP member to announce her candidature, said she would formally put her name forward when nominations open on November 1st. SDLP deputy leader, South Belfast MP and MLA Dr Alasdair McDonnell, is also expected to run.