The SDLP

[Owen Brannigan]

To my knowledge that is inaccurate. The party has plenty of money. This linkup was about political profile.
Nicola Mallon was central to this link up as deputy leader.

Nonsense, SDLP is on its knees when it comes to money.  Donations are so far behind all other parties and they are dependent on expenses from Stormont which are much reduced:

https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/find-information-by-subject/political-parties-campaigning-and-donations/donations-and-loans-to-political-parties/quarterly-donations-and-loans

To run a modern election, money is everything.  FF brings that resource.

Just because you are deputy leader does not mean you cannot think for yourself or stay true to your principles.

OK you seem to know it all. 

Just factual.

[trailer]

Ivan Cooper: Northern Ireland civil rights leader dies
One of Northern Ireland's best-known civil rights leaders, Ivan Cooper, has died aged 75.

Obituary - Ivan Cooper
Mr Cooper was one of the leaders of the civil rights march in Londonderry in 1972 that ended in 13 people being shot dead on Bloody Sunday.

He was a founding member of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) and played a major role in the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association.

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said he was "born to break the mould".

Mr Cooper was born into a working-class Protestant and unionist family in Killaloo, County Londonderry, in January 1944.

He was briefly involved in unionist politics before later becoming involved with the civil rights movement and with constitutional nationalism.

'Driving ambition'
Mr Eastwood said Mr Cooper "embodied the contrasting traditions of this island".

"A working class Protestant man who saw a common injustice and inequality that had taken root in Protestant and Catholic communities, he dedicated his life to fighting it," he said.

"As an early leader in the civil rights movement, few have contributed as much to peace and equality on this island than Ivan.

"Alongside his close friend John Hume, he helped blaze the trail on the path that led to the Good Friday Agreement."
As violence escalated in Northern Ireland, Mr Cooper remained involved in constitutional nationalism, becoming a Stormont MP and eventually community relations minister in the power-sharing executive at Stormont in 1974.

That power-sharing arrangement between nationalists and moderate unionists was brought down by the Ulster Workers' Council strike, supported by the muscle of loyalist paramilitaries like the Ulster Defence Association.

He left active politics in 1983 and went on to work as an insolvency consultant in Derry.
In a statement on behalf of former SDLP leader John Hume, his wife Pat Hume said: "We are deeply saddened to learn of the death of our dear friend Ivan Cooper.

"Ivan and John walked side by side, hand in hand, in their shared desire for equality, justice and peace in Ireland.

"Ivan was the embodiment of the non-violent and non-sectarian movement for change that was the campaign for civil rights."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-foyle-west-45049734