i have to say that I am personally sorry to hear that Pat Ramsey is standing down from the Assembly. A genuinely decent guy.
SDLP man to the core. He will be a hard man to replace in part because he transcended party politics.
With a lot of SDLP talent in Derry, there will likelybe a few hats in the ring. The constituency is of course “Foyle” and is more or less the City of Derry and some rural areas.
In 2011, four candidates were run in the expectaion of holding three seats. Three seats were held…Pat Ramsey holding his seat but Pól O’Callaghan lost his seat to which he had been co-opted to replace Mark Durkan MP.
Two new SDLP people were elected in 2011…Colum Eastwood and Mark H Durkan (nephew of Mark).
There is more talent in Derry than the actual opportunities available…Brian Tierney, Martin Reilly, Gerard Diver to name a few. Ronan McCay is the new SDLP Chair.
I dont know enough about the logistics in Derry…but there is bound to be some kinda geographic balance between branches such as Northland, Waterside and others which would give three candidates an area for vote management purposes.
While I dont believe in quotas based on gender…I am a firm believer in the best man or woman for the job…but I think it likely that the third candidate will be a woman. It is NOT about “optics”.
That means (most likely) a person who has been a councillor or senior staffer. I am always reluctant to name people (staffers) who have no public profile and largely unknown outside SDLP circles.
Allowing for all things being equal in terms of location and availability…I would go for Brenda Stevenson, who was an excellent Mayor of Derry. Its also genetic…she is a Hume.
This is not a prediction of course. Merely an opinion. But if I am right….expect me to mention it. If I am wrong….well Id thank you not to mention it.
But this is the Future. For today, it is only right to pay tribute to Pat Ramsey.
Keeping An Eye On the Czar of Russia 
Good luck to Pat, i’m sure he’ll enjoy his days watching the football at the Brandywell.
All best wishes to Pat.
SDLP should not probably co opt so soon before an election as it could look like an abuse of the co option system.
Well lets see…..SDLP co-opted Sean Rogers to replace Margaret Ritchie (Westminster), Fearghal McKinney (for Conall McDevitt who resigned) and most recently Claire Hanna (Alasdair McDonnell Westminster).
Hardly abusing the system.
But you will forgive me if I dont take any lectures from a self declared Sinn Féin supporter on abusing the co-option system.
I am just questioning if it is right to do this so soon before an election. SF mostly did it as part of a commitment to end the practice of double jobbing
Well, that would make some sense if their MPs actually did a job.
The SF MPs are said to work very hard on the ground for constituents. When Mark Durkan and M Ritchie is off in London debating, the SF MPs like Pat Doherty are working hard in their local constituencies on the ground helping and advising constituents.
Yeah …right.
The SDLP has three MPs….
In South Belfast there are two MLAs (SF has one)
In South dOwn there are two MLAs (SF has two)
in Foyl, SDLP has three MLAs and SF has two.
The SDLP actually working the Westminster system means SDLP are able to help more people than SF in those areas.
sf are hardly in a position to work locally on Welfare when they handed responsibility to Westminster.
This is a reason SDLP will take back a seat in FErmanagh-South Tyrone.
This is a reason SDLP will hold a seat on West Belfast and People for Profit will gaon one.
And in nEwry-Armagh, SDLP might gain one from SF.
Quite a lot of candidates being selected. I see Phil Flanagan was dropped in FST to make way for Michelle guilder new. I guess he has been a bit of a loose cannon. Funny he did seem to be well thought of at one time.
Thats Sinn Féin.
Everyone is disppsable..
If he is lucky, he will be re-cycled with the “average industrial wage”.
He was certainly more in public view than Sean Lynch.
I see Gerard driver got it.
sf doesn’t seem so strong in foyle
Gerard Diver (sic). I have never met him. I thought it might have been a woman who got it. But I dont know enough about the logistics/geography of Derry.
I think it is two safe SDLP, two SF and one DUp.
SDLP should get the final seat.