it looks like colum eastwood _ into context for us?t looks like colum eastwood has managed l into context for us? it looks like - colum eastwood has managed what a lot of politicians probably like the idea of but relatively few are able to pull off, which is he is standing down from the leadership of his party at a time of his own choosing. there is very little, indeed, if any internal pressure on him. he is largely regarded internally in the party as a good leader, he hasn't turned to the party's fortunes around and restored it to the position that it was in for the best part of three decades here, and that is the lead voice on irish nationalism in northern ireland. they lost that status 20 years ago when it was eclipsed by sinn fein. however colum eastwood is regarded as a particularly skilled debater and a good media performer, good communicator and an infective mp at westminster —— and effective mp at westminster —— and effective mp at westminster where he represents a constituency mainly made up of northern ireland's second city,

we are hearing colum eastwood - freer now to be able to...er now to be able to... we are - hearing colum eastwood resigning as the sdlp leader. questions from journalists but i want to cross over and speak to chris. it wasn't unexpected, he has been talking about burnout, but you spoke about him going on his own terms. his own majority was slashed in the summer election. ~ , ., majority was slashed in the summer election. ~ i. ., ., ~' majority was slashed in the summer election. ~ i. ., ., ~ ., majority was slashed in the summer election. ~ i. ., ., , election. whenever you look at any of these major _ election. whenever you look at any of these major decisions _ election. whenever you look at any of these major decisions made - election. whenever you look at any of these major decisions made by l of these major decisions made by leaders of political parties, there will be a number of factors at play. colum eastwood was setting out his stall, looking at the past and the future, framing it in the context of the broad sweep, if you like, talki

colum eastwood — following this closely. colum eastwood it _ following this closely.re, framing it very much in the context of the broad sweep, if you like, and talking about the fact that the sdlp over many years was the largest irish nationalist party in northern ireland, from its formation in 1970, and while it retained the ultimate goal of an irish nationalist party, taking northern ireland out of the uk andjoining taking northern ireland out of the uk and joining it with the republic of ireland, back in those days, and there was still the conflict known as the troubles, the sdlp saw its main objective in trying to bring about a resolution to that and trying to establish peace and the sdlp was one of the main architects of the good friday peace agreement in 1998, that largely ended the violence, the party under the leadership of john hume, and he also won the nobel peace prize for that work. but now colum eastwood says he believes the party is in a different phase and he thinks it is time to press onwards towards that ultimate goal of irish unity so he says he wan

colum eastwood has resigned as leader of northern ireland's social democratic and labour party., joins us now. chris, what's brought us to this point? well, it seems colum eastwood has managed something which most political leaders are not able to pull off. he is standing down it seems at a time of his own choosing. he was under no significant internal pressure, he will remain as an mp, and he says he wants more time to concentrate on campaigning for what is the ultimate aim for irish nationalist politicians, and that is taking northern ireland out of the uk and making it part of the republic of ireland. in a news conference, mr eastwood also said most people didn't understand just how much work was involved in the day—to—day running of a party. the moment now has come for me to step aside, to allow other people to take on that mantle, and to allow myself actually to focus on things that i need to focus on, primarily representing the people of this city, but also making the case for a new ireland. making the case for change across this island. for more than 30 years, the sdlp wa