The latest in a line of SDLP special conferences/seminars took place in Armagh yesterday. Previous conferences have taken place under the radar but this one was arguably the most high profile. It may look from the outside that not much is happening within the SDLP these days…but actually there is quite a lot happening, most of it quite properly outside the public gaze.
A lot of local economists (John Simpson) and journalists (Jamie Delargey) in attendance. Typically not every platform voice was SDLP …Dan O’Brien (Economics Editor of the Irish Times) and George Quigley (banker and occasionally a local Conservative) gave very sobering analysis of the current crisis. There were however more upbeat assessments.
It is of course all part of a “listening” process. And will reap benefits later on.
Of course these occasional get-togethers are good for morale and networking. I am more at ease in SDLP than I was in the transition period before I joined and just after I joined. It helps of course that the atmosphere is extremely upbeat. It helps that people know me…by name and reputation…rather than merely the guy who posts on blogs. And of course it helps when somebody says “I like that blog you posted on…….”
The full SDLP Conference for 2012 is now actually closer than the full SDLP Conference for 2011 and already something to which I am looking forward.
Keeping An Eye On the Czar of Russia 
All sounds very interesting Mr Fitz, are you just teasing us or is there a timeframe as to when the results will start to become more apparent?
I have no idea when things will start to roll out. I think these are necessary steps along the way. At one level its entirely practical. And at another level its good for morale.
I would expect much to be in place before Conference 2012 (also Armagh)
FJH,
Sounds promising, however, a few questions:
i) How many people do you find attending these events on average?
ii) When do you think the SDLP will start to go ‘public’ or have these discussions out in the ‘open’, at the Annual Conference? (Apologies, I hate placing things in inverted commas but I think in this instance it may be best as I can’t think of a better or more expedient way of doing it); and
iii) Do you think that the choice of people from outside the SDLP asked to attend these events nowadays is helpful or not? Personally, it doesn’t inspire me a whole lot, but that said, I can be picky.
Thanks,
FC
1….I havent been at all of the events. But Id certainly reckon more than 115 at yesterdays event. About eight MLAs and/or MPs.
2….I think a lot will be done by the Annual Conference. I would expect a natural winding down in July/August and a build up to Conference. I think by that stage there will be the first signs of fleshing things out.
Things obviously need to be in place before the next Election and there would I expect be a glimpse of things in the Mid Ulster by-election.
3….No not always. I think the SDLP does have a tendency to pay far too much attention to outsiders. In the particular circumstances of yesterday it was probaby justifiable because of the nature of the economic crisis and the fact that people were asctually striving for a consensus. Ive spoken in the past about over indulging Davey Adams, Duncan Morrow and Rev Norman Hamilton so I was a bit skeptical about “Sir” George Quigley who as I recall was a leading figure in the Norn Iron Tories in one of its many incarnations. But he was speaking as a banker/economist in a professional capacity rather than hectoring SDLP on its shortcomings.
I’ll watch with interest. It’s good to see that there appears to be some strategic thinking going on with the groundwork being laid properly rather than the clumsy scattergun approach of, eh, previous times.
At some point however it is necessary to engage with the electorate and articulate policy and direction.
I am preparing a blog on my own site about the currently popular fad among the parties for “Outreach”. It is noticable that that the SDLP seems to have learned some lessons from it’s clumsy, I would even say cringeworthy, attempts at this by it’s previous leader.
Although yesterday was a “party” gathering, clearly members of the audience were Press and economists as well as interested parties such as Slugger favourite Andy Pollak. So it was “open” and presumably others will be. I will let you know in advance of any which would be “open” but Id expect a summer interval.
The Mid Ulster electorate will be engaged sooner than the broader electorate.
I harbour reservations about over-doing “outreach”, not least because in the case of SDLP lost votes are a bigger priority and chasing those votes would be more cost effective. I think that SDLP has always sought to outreach and it is part of the Partys DNA. And the Sinn Féin approach and success rate will be interesting to watch.
I was at this event, as a 19 year old guy this wasnt my normal event, but i found it greatmany are outta work, this proved to me that the sdlp are actually tring to solve this problem compared to sinn fein launching a strategy that had no relevence and the uup and dup keeping hushed and are more interested in debating flags and meeting the queen
Thanks Bazza.
A lot of sense talked at it.