THE umbrella group for European socialist parties has fired a warning shot across the SDLP leadership's bows ahead of today's special conference aimed at cementing links with Fianna Fáil.
The Party of European Socialists (PES) has already voiced unease over the proposed partnership with Micheál Martin's party, which is affiliated to the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE).
In a statement on the eve of today's special conference in Newry where the SDLP leadership is seeking an endorsement of its recently revealed proposal for greater collaboration with Fianna Fáil, PES noted that Colum Eastwood's party was seeking to formalise links with a party that "competes directly" with the Labour in the south.
"The SDLP with the support of the Irish Labour Party and the other democratic parties, north and south, delivered peace to Ireland and has championed progressive politics in Northern Ireland since its foundation," the PES statement said .
"John Hume was one of the greats of the European Parliament and our colleague in the PES - we were never prouder than when we nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1998."
PES said the SDLP’s work as one of the umbrella body's members "is not done" and that the north needed a "strong progressive voice now more than ever".
The statement concluded by saying PES was "confident our sister party will ponder thoroughly the consequences of its decision".
Last month Irish Labour leader Brendan Howlin told The Irish News that the SDLP must break its ties with Europe's umbrella socialist grouping if it builds a formal relationship with Fianna Fáil.
But Mr Eastwood dismissed speculation that his party could be expelled from PES when he spoke to The Irish News last week.
"That won't happen – my politics are exactly the same as they were last week. I'm a social democrat," he said.
An SDLP spokeswoman last night echoed his sentiments, saying the party had "no intention of leaving PES".
“Those who are trying to make this an issue should remember that the Irish Labour Party have entered into coalition with Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil on previous occasions," she said.
“During different moments in history, different members of PES have joined alliances with other political groupings.”
A number of SDLP branches have proposed amendments and motions seeking to thwart formalised links with Fianna Fáil, however, last night it was unclear whether these would be debated at today's special conference.
