A call for the SDLP to ‘come clean’ on the party’s new partnership with Fianna Fail has been made by Workers Party representatives Chris Bailie and  Joanne Lowry.

“There is clearly a major difference of opinion and a lot of unease amongst SDLP members about the new relationship with Fianna Fail” they said.

In North Belfast, former local councillor and MLA Alban Magennis has distanced himself from the merger while current local MLA and party deputy leader Nicola Mallon has been enthusiastically selling the deal to party members.

Now local SDLP Councillor Paul McCusker needs to let people know where he stands.”, said Chris.

” It would be hard to believe that Paul’s principles sit comfortably with a conservative  party like Fianna Fail. Nor would Fianna Fail’s slavish support of  free market economics, one of the causes of the current housing crisis in the Republic, find favour with someone like Paul McCusker, who has done so much for homeless people locally”, observed Chris.

It is a similar story in West Belfast. ” Long standing and well-respected councillor Tim Atwood has expressed his disapproval of the merger publicly” said,

“I have my political differences with Tim, but I and many others admire the work he has done, the service he has provided and most importantly the principles he has upheld over the years. Clearly this new arrangement with Fianna Fail runs contrary to what he and other SDLP members believe in”, Joanne said

Fianna Fail is the party that teamed up with the European Union’s Troika to introduce the crippling austerity measures making ordinary people pay for the bail out of Irish banks and financial investors while public services were decimated, and additional taxes placed on ordinary people.

“The SDLP needs to let people know where it stands. It would be hard to believe that either Tim Atwood’s or Paul McCusker’s principles sit comfortably with a conservative party like Fianna Fail”.

“We need to know – and the SDLP needs to tell us – where it stands on this deal with Fianna Fail and what the position of all of its candidates in the council elections is”, Joanne and Chris concluded