SDLP Foyle MLA Colum Eastwood victim of a ‘dirty tricks’ campaign to try stop him becoming the new party leader
THE SDLP has been accused of running a “dirty tricks” operation to try and stop Foyle MLA Colum Eastwood from becoming the new party leader.
Mr Eastwood, who has broad supporter from the grassroots right to the top of the party, is the bookies favourite to oust Dr Alasdair McDonnell.
And so sure the he will win the vote later this month, bookmakers Paddy Power is offering odds on him of 1-4 to be the third person from Derry to leader the SDLP.
Now in a bid to stop the sure fire favourite romping home, the SDLP’s ruling executive has decreed that all its elected representatives who owe the party money should not be allowed to take part in the leadership vote.
Under party rules, elected SDLP representatives are expected to donate annually a percentage of their salary to party coffers to the wheels of its machinery well oiled.
But some SDLP MLAs have slammed attempts to stop them voting if they not paid all their dues.
One SDLP source told Derry Daily: “This just smacks of a dirty tricks campaign by the Belfast leadership who are backing Alasdair.
“But it won’t work. Alasdair is going to get such a bloody nose and Colum is going to the new party leader.
“Colum has the backing of a broad church in the party. Alasdair’s camp are just running scare and are trying any dirty trick in the book to stop him.
“I think it will backfire badly on Alasdair.”
It is understood that some payments to the party by elected representatives have been delayed because of concerns about the way money is being spent.
Mr Eastwood is one of those critical of the attempt to bar some representatives from voting for him in the two-horse leadership race.
His camp say he will be voting come next weekend when the annual party conference is held in Armagh on Friday, November 13 and Saturday, November 14 where 300 members are eligible to vote.
The party executive’s decision was discussed by MLAs at Stormont and it is understood a number of assembly members were openly critical of the party executive’s move.
It is understood attempts are being made to try and resolve the dispute behind the scenes.
The SDLP headquarters in Belfast has declined to comment saying the issues raised were “internal matters”.
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