Colum Eastwood

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    In 2012 he drew criticism from Unionists including Jim Allister after carrying the coffin at the paramilitary funeral of a former Irish National Liberation Army member in Derry. A masked Real Irish Republican Army gunman fired a volley of shots over the coffin, although Eastwood stated he was not present at the time of the gunfire. He defended his attendance at the funeral saying the deceased was a personal friend and added "I wasn't concerned at the time about who was standing beside me, or about what flag or otherwise was draped over the coffin." [6] [7] It later emerged that party colleague Mark H. Durkan also attended the funeral. [8]

    On 14 November 2015, Eastwood contested the leadership election held at the SDLP's annual conference. He beat the incumbent, Alasdair McDonnell, by 172 votes to 133. [9] Eastwood was re-elected to the NI Assembly in 2016 and 2017, receiving 5,000 and 7,240 first preference votes, respectively. [10]

    2016

    Colum Eastwood
    MP
    Colum Eastwood SDLP Conference 2023.jpg
    Eastwood in 2023
    Leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party
    In office
    14 November 2015 –5 October 2024
    2016 Assembly election: Foyle - 6 seats
    PartyCandidateFPv%Count
    12345678
    DUP Gary Middleton 11.94,7374,770 4,772 6,641
    Sinn Féin Raymond McCartney 8.13,1983,220 3,270 3,271 3,274 5,676
    SDLP Mark H. Durkan 10.64,1974,268 4,395 4,527 4,744 4,801 6,905
    SDLP Colum Eastwood12.65,0005,069 5,111 5,217 5,376 5,401 5,804
    Sinn Féin Martin McGuinness 12.75,0375,070 5,168 5,175 5,176 5,656 5,712
    People Before Profit Eamonn McCann 10.54,1764,354 4,551 4,635 4,720 4,779 4,927 5,394
    Independent Dr. Anne McCloskey8.63,4103,484 3,683 3,754 3,832 3,886 3,974 4,227
    SDLP Gerard Diver 6.82,7002,743 2,797 2,974 3,239 3,249
    Sinn Féin Maeve McLaughlin 7.73,0623,072 3,114 3,114 3,114
    UUP Julia Kee3.61,4201,477 1,484
    Independent Maurice Devenney 3.01,1731,190 1,213
    Independent Kathleen Bradley2.3902928
    CISTA John Lindsay0.7259
    Alliance Chris McCaw0.6238
    Green (NI) Mary Hassan0.4157
    NI Conservatives Alan Dunlop0.136
    Electorate: 71,759  Valid: 39,702  Spoilt: 485 (1.21%)  Quota: 5,672  Turnout: 58.00%  

      2017

      2017 Assembly election: Foyle - 5 seats [11]
      PartyCandidateFPv%Count
      123456
      Sinn Féin Elisha McCallion 20.69,205
      Sinn Féin Raymond McCartney 16.07,1458,608.76
      SDLP Colum Eastwood16.27,2407,332.53 7,595.30
      SDLP Mark H. Durkan 15.66,9487,023.05 7,275.56 7,380.68 8,413.68
      DUP Gary Middleton 13.45,9755,975 5,976.71 6,008.09 6,902.37 7,036.37
      People Before Profit Eamonn McCann 10.74,7604,850.63 5,086.80 5,291.63 5,922.16 6,373.16
      UUP Julia Kee3.71,6601,661.52 1,668.93 1,704.50
      Alliance Colm Cavanagh2.51,1241,132.93 1,179.67 1,295.22
      Green (NI) Shannon Downey0.5242244.09 264.42
      CISTA John Lindsay0.4196199.61 225.45
      NI Conservatives Stuart Canning0.27777.19 78.90
      Independent Arthur McGuinness0.14444.57 56.35
      Electorate: 69,718  Valid: 44,616  Spoilt: 701 (1.55%)  Quota: 7,437  Turnout: 65.00% (45,317)  

        Election to the House of Commons

        On 12 December 2019 Eastwood was elected as Member of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for Foyle in a landslide victory against Sinn Féin candidate, then incumbent, Elisha McCallion. He was the first of the new MPs elected at the 2019 general election to make his maiden speech in the Commons. [12]

        On 11 November 2020 during a Westminster Hall debate Eastwood called for a full and independent judicial inquiry into the murder of Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane in 1989. [13]

        He was re-elected MP in 2024 following the general election. That year, he described the Oath of Allegiance to King Charles III as an "empty formula" and said he took it "under protest" in order to represent his constituents in the House of Commons. [14]

        Leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP)

        Following the SDLP's poor election results in the 2014 local elections, the 2014 European Parliament election and the 2015 Westminster election, the then SDLP leader and MP for South Belfast Alasdair McDonnell resisted calls to stand down, including from the party's deputy leader Dolores Kelly. [15] [16]

        At the SDLP's Annual Conference on 14 November 2015, Eastwood contested the leadership election where he defeated the incumbent, Alasdair McDonnell, by 172 votes to 133. [9]

        In July 2021 Eastwood used parliamentary privilege to reveal the identity of Bloody Sunday's 'Soldier F' in the House of Commons. [17]

        In December 2023, his key adviser Ruaidhri O'Donnell resigned. [18]

        In August 2024, Eastwood announced his intention to resign as leader. He will formally step down at the SDLP's Annual Conference on 5 October 2024. [19]

        Personal life

        He married Rachael Parkes in December 2013, and they live in Derry with their two daughters. [20]

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        References

        1. ↑ Brunskill, Ian (19 March 2020). The Times guide to the House of Commons 2019 : the definitive record of Britain's historic 2019 General Election. HarperCollins Publishers Limited. ISBN   978-0-00-839258-1. OCLC   1129682574.
        2. ↑ "Foyle results". BBC News – Election 2011. 11 May 2011. Archived from the original on 25 September 2015. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
        3. ↑ Moriarty, Gerry (13 January 2016). "SDLP'S Colum Eastwood ready to reboot 'most successful party in Irish history'". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 28 October 2020. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
        4. ↑ "Young pretender: Alex Kane profiles the SDLP's Colum Eastwood". belfasttelegraph. ISSN   0307-1235. Archived from the original on 19 April 2021. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
        5. ↑ Derry City Council Archived 11 January 2011 at the Wayback Machine
        6. ↑ "MLA criticised for role at funeral where shots fired". DerryJournal.com. 20 April 2012. Archived from the original on 30 November 2012. Retrieved 4 March 2016.
        7. ↑ "Colum Eastwood defends decision to carry coffin of friend Seamus Coyle". BBC News . 20 April 2012. Archived from the original on 20 May 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
        8. ↑ "Colum Eastwood moved in SDLP Stormont shuffle". BBC News . 22 April 2012. Archived from the original on 10 April 2021. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
        9. 1 2 "SDLP leadership: Colum Eastwood wins contest against Alasdair McDonnell". BBC News . 14 November 2015. Archived from the original on 14 November 2015. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
        10. ↑ "Foyle". www.ark.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 12 November 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
        11. ↑ "Statement of Persons Nominated". EONI. Archived from the original on 11 February 2017. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
        12. ↑ "Debate on the Address - Hansard". hansard.parliament.uk. Archived from the original on 14 July 2021. Retrieved 21 January 2020.
        13. ↑ "Colum Eastwood demands full and independent Pat Finucane inquiry". www.derryjournal.com. Archived from the original on 13 November 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
        14. ↑ McClafferty, Enda (10 July 2024). "MP oath to King empty formula, says SDLP leader". BBC News . Retrieved 10 July 2024.
        15. ↑ Moriarty, Gerry. "SDLP leader resists calls to stand down". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 14 July 2021. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
        16. ↑ "SDLP deputy Dolores Kelly calls for leader Alasdair McDonnell to stand down". belfasttelegraph. ISSN   0307-1235. Archived from the original on 8 November 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
        17. ↑ Preston, Allan (13 July 2021). "SDLP leader Colum Eastwood names Soldier F using parliamentary privilege". Belfast Telegraph. Archived from the original on 13 July 2021. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
        18. ↑ Correspondent, John Manley Political (1 December 2023). "SDLP leader Colum Eastwood adviser quits ahead of Westminster election". The Irish News. Retrieved 8 December 2023.{{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
        19. ↑ "Colum Eastwood: 'It is time for me to step aside'". BBC News. 28 August 2024. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
        20. ↑ "Eastwood, Colum". Politics.co.uk. Archived from the original on 14 July 2021. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
        Civic offices
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        Paul Fleming
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        2010 to 2011        		Succeeded by
        Party political offices
        Preceded by Leader of the SDLP
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        Parliament of the United Kingdom
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