SDLP quits power-sharing Executive at Stormont

The SDLP has announced it is quitting the power-sharing administration in Northern Ireland to form part of the newly established opposition.
Crunch meeting take place at Stormont Castle in east Belfast between Northern Ireland's main political parties over the makeup of the new Executive.  SDLP leader Colum Eastwood and party colleague Alex Attwood leave the Castle after the talks. 

Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEyeCrunch meeting take place at Stormont Castle in east Belfast between Northern Ireland's main political parties over the makeup of the new Executive.  SDLP leader Colum Eastwood and party colleague Alex Attwood leave the Castle after the talks. 

Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye
Crunch meeting take place at Stormont Castle in east Belfast between Northern Ireland's main political parties over the makeup of the new Executive. SDLP leader Colum Eastwood and party colleague Alex Attwood leave the Castle after the talks. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye

The move by the SDLP comes a week after fellow architects of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, the Ulster Unionists, also opted to take their seats on the opposition benches.

With the Alliance Party having indicated its unwillingness to re-take the executive’s contentious justice ministry, the new government in Belfast could be solely made up of the Democratic Unionists and Sinn Fein.

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said the party had made a “bold decision” to leave the executive.