SDLP pushing for NI 'Special Status' after Brexit
Column Eastwood is meeting with European socialist parties today.
The SDLP is meeting with European Leaders in London, to push the case for Northern Ireland to have special status after Brexit.
Party leader Colum Eastwood is attending the Party of European Socialists conference in London, which began last night and and continues today.
Mr Eastwood says the conference, attended by PES president and former Prime Minister of Bulgaria Sergei Stanishev as well as leaders of social democratic and socialist parties across Europe, will advance discussions he has been having with European Leaders about Special Status for Northern Ireland.
His party colleague Claire Hanna says there's no reason why Northern Ireland couldn't retain some type of relationship with Europe, independant from the rest of the UK, after Brexit:
"Whatever else you may think Europe is, it is a very creative problem solver. If you look across the continent, there are specific arrangements for specific circumstances and we believed there is support for Special Status. And we don't care if it is called Special Status, we don't care what it is called, we just need those protections.
After next week's Assembly elections it looks like we are in for another talks process and among the various issues which need to be dealt with, leaving the EU will likely be high on the agenda.
And Ms Hanna is clear that leaving the EU is the biggest issue facing parties here and that the DUP and Sinn Fein need to recognise that:
"We don't want to enter a big protracted period of negotiations, but in any talks after the election we will make sure that Brexit is at the centre of that and getting the best possible deal."
"The actual crisis is Brexit. Them deciding that they are going to have months amd months of talks and everybody has to give them attention and stroke their hair is no good for anyone. We need to get on with getting this plan."