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IT’S TIME FORCHANGE

 VOTE CONALL McDEVITT 1

 ANNUAL CONFERENCE4 - 6 NOVEMBER

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 TO DELIVERREAL 

 At this time of change for our party, there are four main challenges facing the new SDLP

Leader:

CHANGE TOGETHER

I believe I have what it takes to meet all of these challenges and more. I also passionately

believe that a revitalised SDLP can once again speak to people’s hopes and dreams –

throughout this region and across Ireland. But that won’t just happen. First we will have to

implement real change in the SDLP. And that will require energy, courage and determination.

Yours sincerely,

2

In this booklet, I outline my vision for the future. And this is just the start. Between now and

Conference, I look forward to engaging positively with you – expanding on my ideas and

listening to yours, as I have been doing in recent weeks.I hope to enthuse you to support me at the leadership election in November. Let’s unite to

reform politics, build a renewed SDLP and deliver real change for the people who need it

most.

Dear friend,

1. To develop a bold strategy for new politics that will put us at the centre of

government in the North;

2. To offer ambitious new policies that can change for the better the lives of the

people we serve;

3. To articulate exciting new ideas that will place the SDLP at the heart of 21st

Century Irish politics; and

4. To underpin that new political vision with a dynamic organisation capable ofreconnecting with those who do not vote; turning SDLP supporters into SDLP

voters again, as well as inspiring a new generation of voters and activists.

Conall McDevitt MLA

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EXPERIENCE IN

 As Special Adviser to Brid

Rodgers when she was

 Agriculture Minister, Conall was

instrumental in shaping SDLP

strategy in government,

including this region’s response

to the Foot and Mouth crisis.

BUSINESS & POLITICS An active member of the SDLP

an SDLP MLA for South

Belfast.

Prior to dedicating himself to

public service, Conall gained

vital experience as the

Managing Director of a highly

successful company. He

brought jobs to Belfast and

won awards for his

contribution to the local

business community.

Since entering the

 Assembly, Conall has won

praise for defending the

public interest during last

winter’s crisis in NI Water, for

his sensitive support for victims

of abuse and for being an

effective campaigner for

reform in education and high

standards in policing.

3

Having been the party’s Director

of Communications during the

negotiations that led to the Good

Friday Agreement, Conall also

understands that a winning new

message can only be built on

long-held core values.

Conall’s Great-Grandfather was theproud Belfast republican socialist,

Danny McDevitt.

 

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5

 As a party whose instinct

is for positive politics, the

SDLP’s goal is to be at the

centre of government here.

 That is where we need to be

to deliver the real change in

our society that people want.

 And it’s what people want the

SDLP to be too – a

constructive, creativealternative, mapping out the

way forward for all.

It is time to work as one team

– at branch and constituency

level, on Councils, in the

 Assembly, at Westminster

and, with hard work, in

Europe again.

 The SDLP I will lead will have an

approach to campaigning that is

We will develop focussed

campaigns on major issues,

directly addressing the fears

and hopes of people.

Whether campaigning for safer

communities, better schools,healthcare or local jobs, the

SDLP under my leadership will

reconnect this party with the

people we were founded to

serve.

Conall is married to Joanne

and together they have three

young children – Oisin, Clara

and Naoise.

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  As SDLP members, we are all

passionate social democrats,

committed to delivering

positive change for people.

We are also proud Irish

nationalists, determined to

build a united Ireland on

foundations of reconciliation,

social justice and prosperity

for all.

 These twin SDLP pillars will

complement each other as

we work to achieve that new

Ireland.

 The SDLP belongs at the heart

of Irish politics. We may be

based in the North, and will be

focussed on growing strongerhere, but our reach should

always be Ireland-wide.

I have new ideas for asserting

the SDLP as a party of 

national relevance and

again play a key role

shaping Irish politics.

I want us to renew our positive

relationships with all parties in the

South. As Leader, I will launch a

new campaign – “the Ireland 21

Campaign”.

 This campaign’s aim will be to

build consensus across Ireland

on key issues of common

interest, including on:

Unity;

National Remembranceand Reconciliation;

North South Development;

and

Political Realignment.

In this campaign, we will

engage with all parties in Ireland,

with the shared goal of 

developing new thinking for anew country in this new century.

Our “Ireland 21 Campaign” can

feed positively into the

long-promised North South

Parliamentary Forum, but will

also work freely to promote

SDLP principles and policies.

While it is essential that we keepfocussed on renewing the party in

the North, I believe we can best

achieve that by maximising

support and good will for us

throughout Ireland.

LEADING THE DEBATE

6

Having spent much of his

childhood living in southern

Spanish – and a little Italian! 

 AN ALL-ISLAND

ORGANISATION

I believe that the SDLP should

step up efforts to organise

throughout the island, giving

people in every county theopportunity to help us renew.

I will start by establishing more

support groups in new locations

in the South, so our message

can be heard in every province.

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 The time for talking endlesslyabout change in the SDLP is

over. As Leader, I will work 

relentlessly to deliver the real

change this party needs.

So, what exactly do I mean

by that? Here are just some

of the measures I will

implement immediately:

Conall has run three

marathons and will take

part in the London

Marathon next year to

raise funds for DiabetesResearch. He is also an

enthusiastic cyclist and

GAA fan.

7

RECONNECT THELEADER WITH OUR

GRASSROOTS

 There are too many layers of 

bureaucracy in the SDLP, which

have caused a disconnect

throughout the party. I value

your opinions and want to hear

your ideas.

 These bodies will give

members a much greater say in

the development and direction

of our political strategy. Moreimportantly, they will give you a

forum for discussion and direct

contact with the party

leadership.

PUT MUCH SIMPLER

STRUCTURES IN PLACE

I want to strip away our

existing ineffective partystructure and put a much

one in place.

From my experience in

business, I believe we need a

much smaller party executive

that is better connected to our

constituencies and branches.

I will propose a new partyconstitution for endorsement at

a special party conference to

be held in time to give effect to

these new structures at

Conference 2012.

MAKE IT EASIER FOR NEW

MEMBERS TO GET INVOLVED

I want to see a return to

activist-driven politics in the SDLP,with more members more involved

than ever before. So, I would start

by making it easier for people to

 join us – charging only £1 for young

people, senior citizens and those

not working to become members.

 Those are just a few of my

ideas. Before Conference, I will

circulate to delegates my detailedplan for:

If we are to succeed, every party

member will have a role to play.

 Together, let’s build an SDLP that

people will want to join – and vote

for.

 Therefore, at alternate eight

week intervals, I will:

representatives together to

plan political strategy under a

newly created SDLP Public

Representatives Group; and

so that the Leader can directly

hear members’ views on keyissues. It is my intention that

Central Council will once again

become the principal decision

making body of the party,

outside of Conference.

and utilising their skills;

discipline;

communication; and

relationships among all

our elected representatives.

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Call or text Conall on 07872 486572

or email c.mcdevitt@sdlp.ie 

FOLLOW OUR CAMPAIGN:

Twitter.com/conallmcd

Facebook.com/conall.mcdevitt

If you have a smartphone,

scan above to hear Conall

outline his vision for real

change in the SDLP.

 VOTE CONALL McDEVITT1

GET INVOLVED IN OUR CAMPAIGNFORREALCHANGE IN THE SDLP:

CONALLREALCHANGE

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