A FORMER SDLP councillor claims some of his ex-colleagues are planning to "jump ship" if and when they are elected in May due to their opposition to the party's partnership with Fianna Fáil.
Declan Boyle, who sits on Belfast City Council as an independent after quitting the party in 2017 when he was disciplined for not supporting a motion condemning harassment of women by anti-abortion activists, has told The Irish News that a number of SDLP councillors seeking selection for the forthcoming council elections were opposed to the party's recently ratified link with Micheál Martin's party.
Last Saturday, SDLP delegates voted by 121 votes to 53 to support the leadership's proposal for a partnership with Fianna Fáil.
The move has prompted South Belfast MLA Claire Hanna to resign as the party's Brexit spokeswoman.
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Her husband and Belfast councillor Donal Lyons is understood to be among those uneasy with the exclusive relationship with the south's main opposition party.
His council colleague Tim Attwood and Lisburn councillor Máiría Cahill, a former Labour senator, also have misgivings about the deal between the two parties.
Mr Boyle said there were both sitting councillors and unelected candidates who were "standing on a ticket they don't believe in".
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"Is it a case of not having the confidence in their convictions to stand for what they believe in?" he asked.
"Is it perhaps best to use the party machine to try and gain success with a council seat in the May elections and then jump ship afterwards?"
The SDLP declined to comment on Mr Boyle's remarks.
