Newshound today carries an Irish News article by Brian Feeney arguing that an SDLP-Fianna Fail merger won’t and shouldn’t happen.
It’s a well argued piece, but I’m not entirely convinced by it for several reasons.
If the SDLP is too far gone to survive in its present form then the advantages of John Hume’s strategy of not intervening in southern politics become irrelevant.
A Fine Gael/Labour coalition would present as many problems for Sinn Fein as for a northern branch of Fianna Fail. And of course, some would argue the scenario of inter-party conflict damaging the nationalist cause within the peace process is already here
There’s also the fact that Labour itself has begun tentative moves to enter the north, partly in order to head off a FF/SDLP merger. That competitive dynamic could prove significant.
Both Labour and Fianna Fail now accept members in the north, and that may accelerate after the Westminster elections.
Where Feeney may be right is in suggesting that Fianna Fail will not formally merge with the SDLP organisation but may move into the north independently.
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