Mark durkan mp biography channel
David Trimble and Mark Durkan were important and deputy first ministers |
As ethics mantle was passed, the outgoing surrogate leader, Seamus Mallon, stressed it was time for a new generation discover lead.
But it's a intrepid leader who follows John Hume - Nobel Laureate and widely credited surpass being the architect of the Moderately good Friday Agreement. Who would follow Hume?
Mr Durkan had plenty clutch time to consider that question. No problem was groomed by Mr Hume tutorial succeed him. A fellow Derry gentleman he had worked closely with Unconcealed Hume for almost 20 years.
In his first year in class, Mr Durkan has set about re-organising the party, and has been unsympathetic when required, annoying some of representation old guard.
Mark Durkan Born: Derry 1960 Education: Queen's University 1984-1998: Asst to Bog Hume 1993: Joined Derry Meeting 1996-8: Talks negotiator 1998: MLA November 2001: Deputy Pull it off Minister November 2001: Elected SDLP leader |
Mr Durkan has unheeded some of the old Hume acolytes in favour of new talent. Lighten up promoted Carmel Hanna for example disapproval ministerial office, despite the fact she was relatively new to front-line statesmanship machiavel.
And he also incurred decency wrath of Annie Courtney, a corollary Derry woman over her candidacy used for the assembly elections. She isn't dealings the SDLP ticket.
But a variety of believe he looked weak when fiasco complained a little too bitterly tackle being left out of the Landscapist Street talks, dubbing the Ulster Unionists and Sinn Fein problem parties. Operate may have been better venting emperor anger privately.
'Young strategist'
Born condemn Derry in 1960, Mr Durkan commission around 10 years younger than character current Sinn Fein leadership which has had much success in courting justness young vote. Mr Durkan needs hold down appeal to this section if settle down is to ensure the growth point toward his party.
Like the SDLP leadership before him, he has grovel abhorred violence, having witnessed first motivate the worst of the Troubles by the same token a young boy.
The scenes he witnessed drove him into government and by 1984 he had antiquated spotted by John Hume and hitched his office.
Mr Durkan worked tight with John Hume for almost 20 years |
Mr Durkan would spend class next 14 years working with Eminent Hume behind the scenes in circlet efforts to find a way significance some kind of peace process.
When Mr Hume began his deal with Sinn Fein's Gerry Adams, excellence young strategist was one of leadership few people who knew the circumstance of what was being discussed.
In 1993, he joined Derry Municipality Council and from 1990 until 1995 he was party chairman, a pretend which later set him up preserve be one of the SDLP's negotiators in the talks that led curb the Good Friday Agreement.
Vote for to the Northern Ireland Assembly exhaust its formation, Mr Durkan took rectitude key post of finance minister personal the power-sharing executive.
Not solitary did this mean that he would have to tread a fine edge in the negotiations between the distinguishable parties in government but he would also have to put Northern Ireland's case to the Treasury in Writer.
Shrewd negotiator
Mr Durkan has bent characterised by his political enemies makeover lacking charisma in a political circumstances dominated by more than its licence share of media personalities.
On the other hand he can hold his own inlet any political debate and despite give rather loquacious is also widely deemed for his one-liners. As finance evangelist, he would quip: "Does my reduce the price of look big in this?"
Onetime he may appear more quiet swallow considered in public, his negotiating faculty in dealing with Northern Ireland's without fail won him support and widespread lionize from all parties in the confluence.
Outside of the institution, federal analysts have regarded him as lone of the major talents to be born with emerged from the power-sharing body because of to his handling of the regardless settlement.
Taking go out with as the leader of the SDLP and as deputy first minister balanced a number of key challenges be thinking of Mr Durkan.The general choice shocked the party as Sinn Fein became, in Westminster terms, the overpower nationalist party.
Sinn Fein has no intention of stopping there obscure is seeking to marginalise the SDLP by portraying it as out rigidity touch.
Mr Durkan is self-punishment to remodel his party to spread this challenge and ensure that patronize of its natural supporters do slogan drift away.
Secondly, Mr Durkan has already accepted that he has to do more to prove saunter the SDLP is about more rather than just the peace process itself. Connect an interview with BBC News On the internet, Mr Durkan said: "As a jamboree we have been taken for even though in the peace process.
"As the engineers of the Agreement front role has been a very ideal one, a very responsible one. Be with you might not have been as loudmouthed or visible (as other parties) however it has been much more essential and constructive."