COLUM Eastwood will be the first to concede that Claire Hanna's departure from the party's assembly team and resignation as SDLP Brexit spokeswoman is a big loss.
Since she replaced Alasdair McDonnell as MLA for South Belfast in 2015, the 38-year-old has been one of her party's most impressive performers, both in the Stormont chamber and across the media.
The SDLP is in her blood – her father Eamon is a long-standing party activist, while her mother Carmel preceded her in the assembly and served as employment and learning minister.
She is also married to Belfast SDLP councillor Donal Lyons.
But her allegiance is based on what she regards as the party's social democratic principles, which she argues will be eschewed in any partnership with Fianna Fáil. Ms Hanna also believes that the ultimate destination of this project is a merger.
Given these circumstances and her previous public opposition to greater ties with Micheál Martin's party, she had little option but to back her words with actions.
By resigning from the role of Brexit spokeswoman, she robs the SDLP of one its most eloquent and knowledgeable advocates of remaining in the EU.
By the same measure, however, she also denies herself a regular public platform that may ultimately have a negative impact on her electoral prospects.
Both within and outside of the SDLP, Ms Hanna has been regarded as one of the party's best prospects for regaining a Westminster seat.
While it has been speculated that there could be a trade-off with Sinn Féin that would see the SDLP step aside in North Belfast to help unseat Nigel Dodds in exchange for a clear run in the south of the city, it has also been argued that Ms Hanna's broad appeal could see her top the poll without a pact.
Yesterday's developments clearly cast doubt over her potential candidacy but arguably both sides in this dispute are hopeful it can be resolved before a general election is called.
Through her principled stance Ms Hanna has painted herself into a corner yet it's unlikely her resignation will change the course on which her leader has set the party.
We can expect weeks, months even, of a stand-off but ultimately something has to give.
Colum Eastwood and the SDLP currently have enough on their plate without having to deal with a public spat involving one of the party's leading figures.
