Councillor switches from SDLP to Sinn Féin

A councillor in Northern Ireland today became the first member of his party to switch allegiance to Sinn Féin after the Assembly election.

Billy Leonard, who was elected to Coleraine Council as a member of Mark Durkan’s nationalist SDLP, informed party officials at the weekend that he was quitting.

Mr Leonard, a former Protestant lay preacher, had been tipped last week as a possible candidate for the chairmanship of the SDLP at its annual conference in Belfast next month.

An SDLP spokesman confirmed that Mr Leonard had informed them of his decision to leave.

The SDLP has been recovering from the loss of six seats in the Assembly election in November.

Sinn Féin overtook the SDLP by capturing 24 Stormont seats to the SDLP’s 18.

Three members of the SDLP Assembly team have put their names forward to replace former Stormont Agriculture Minister Bríd Rodgers as deputy leader.

The candidates are Mr Dallat, South Belfast MLA Dr Alastair McDonnell and North Belfast MLA Alban Maginness, Belfast’s first nationalist Lord Mayor.