Spike in Former SDLP Members Joining Aontú

Aontú Leader & Meath West TD Peadar Tóibín has welcomed the influx of support and inquiries Aontú has received from SDLP voters and supporters in recent weeks.

Tóibín: “In recent weeks and months, Aontú has received hundreds of inquiries and dozens of new members from the SDLP, who have expressed dissatisfaction with the “Abortion Campaigning” nature of the current SDLP Leadership. Aontú’ is not even two years old but in that short time hundreds of people have left Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin and the SDLP to join our new movement. We have received over 50,000 votes and now have 6 elected reps from Derry to Wexford. Cllr Denise Mullen, our high profile Fermanagh South Tyrone Councillor was the first SDLP Councillor to leave the SDLP over their flip flop on the right to life.”

“A key breaking point for many of our new members from the SDLP has been the complete abandonment of the right to life by the SDLP leadership. The SDLP leadership lobbied Westminster over a year ago to impose an extreme abortion regime upon the North against the will of the people and just recently actively voted for the legislation in the British Houses of Parliament”.

“What’s happening in the SDLP is very similar to what happened in Fianna Fáil. The leadership has ignored the will of the membership and gone from supporting Human Rights to now voting for the ending of life by the state right up until birth. The hungry ambitious middle management in the party has seen what way the wind is blowing and is following suit. Election and co-option selections are being made in favour of those who support the leadership’s views”.

“Remaining within a party that is doing damage to your core human rights values is a form of political self-harm. Being loyal to a party that opposes your desire to protect the weakest in society is not logical. These people have not left the SDLP. The SDLP has left these people. Those within the party that used to speak up strongly in support of the Human Right to Life have now fallen silent”.

“We in Aontú 100% welcome each of these new members. Their voices will be listened to and many will play a central role in the growth and development of our movement. We aim to reverse this regressive law, make sure that all families have the economic supports to raise their children with confidence and ensure that the Human Right to Life of everyone in society is protected”.

The Irish political system is radically broken

In Ireland the vast majority of elected representatives put a finger in the air to check which way the political wind is blowing. They have one eye on their leaders – seeking brownie points – and another eye keeping their seat safe. If elected reps shut up and do as they’re told, they are promoted; if they stand up for what they believe in, they are demoted. No wonder we have the political class we have. No wonder one point one billion euro is being buried in a hole under the National Children’s Hospital and that Stormont is in stalemate.

Throughout Ireland, many people are now afraid to say what they feel, many are afraid to respectfully engage on a range of different topics. Many feel there is a new censorship and a new political correctness in Ireland, that opposition to the establishment is being deleted.

Respectful opposition is not the enemy. Respectful opposition is a critical element of a functional democracy. Aontú will have the backbone to stand up, without fear, for you.