Old stager steps aside

Eddie McGrady not standing
 for Westmninster

THE venerable old stager remaining in the SDLP elected ranks, Eddie McGrady, has sad he will not stand for his Westminster seat in South Down, after 23 years as a MP.


Eddie’s decision opens a political, and dare we say it, an election can of worms.


His heir apparent is one Margaret Ritchie, possessor of the party leadership. And that’s a party that is committed to end double jobbing. So if she grabs the seat then it will be out with the Ministerial post and MLA slot.


But one can always be too quick to assume what way an election will go. After all Eddie McGrady snatched the seat from Enoch Powell. And Ritchie is up against the ever-popular Education Minister Catriona Ruane.