Colum Eastwood to step down after nine years as leader of the SDLP

Colum Eastwood has announced his resignation as SDLP leader after almost a decade, confirming the news during a press conference.

The Derry native said that the "moment has come to step aside".

Mr Eastwood said it was a "great privilege" to lead the party for almost a decade and pledged to continue to work to support the party and the people of Derry, where he will serve as the MP for Foyle.

He will step down as leader on October 5.

Speaking to the press, Mr Eastwood said:  "The bottom line, though, is (that) this last few years has been a period of immense change across these islands.

"What we have seen after Brexit has been really unstable in many ways, but also been a moment of opportunity, and now that we have the three strands, all the institutions of the Good Friday Agreement, in a better place, a more stable place, this is also now a big moment of change for this island, and I, for one, want to give my full commitment to leading in that space.

"I want to be a voice for leading for change, to develop a new Ireland, to make the case for change across this island, and I need to be able to have to the space to do that, the time to do that."

Sharing the news on X, Mr Eastwood said "The next challenge for me is building a new Ireland that we can all share together".

Politics is always about the next challenge. The next challenge for me is building a new Ireland that we can all share together.

It’s an honour to be Derry’s MP - a job I love, to have led the SDLP and I’m excited about what comes next. pic.twitter.com/eiZSLA7UiZ

— Colum Eastwood (@columeastwood) August 29, 2024

Mr Eastwood was the SDLP's youngest ever leader when he took up the post from Alasdair McDonnell in 2015, following a leadership contest that was won by fewer than 40 votes.

He has served as MP of Foyle since 2019, when he won by a whopping 17,000 majority amidst Brexit uncertainty.

The 41-year-old father of two also previously served as the mayor of Derry.