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Dr Alasdair McDonnell MP, MLA

Dr Alasdair McDonnell

MP & MLA for South Belfast

SDLP Leader

Alasdair at a glance

Dr Alasdair McDonnell is the Leader of the SDLP. Born in Cushendall, Co. Antrim, Alasdair now lives in the South Belfast constituency which he serves as an MP. He is married to Olivia and they have four children, two sons and two daughters.

As well as being a member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) and an MP, Dr McDonnell has, since 1977, been a family GP based at the Ormeau Road in South Belfast until retiring earlier this year.

He received his medical training at UCD - University College Dublin which recently awarded him an Honorary Fellowship of the School of Medicine and Medical Sciences.

Political career

His political career also kicked off in 1977, when he was elected to Belfast City Council where he served as a local Councillor until he retired in 2001.

During his time as a Councillor he was also elected as Deputy Mayor of Belfast, a post he held from 1995 - 1996. The, in 1998 he became a Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly, which he remains to date.

In 2004 Dr McDonnell became SDLP Deputy Leader. A year later in 2005 he made history by becoming the first ever Nationalist candidate to be elected as a Member of Parliament for South Belfast. He is the Party Spokesman on Enterprise, Trade and Investment and is also a member of the Westminster based Northern Ireland Select Affairs Committee. In November 2011 he was elected SDLP Leader.

Constituency Office

120A Ormeau Road, Belfast, BT7 2EB
Tel 028 9024 2474 Fax 028 9043 9935
Email mcdonnella@parliament.uk

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