12 October 2026

The SDLP has told Executive parties to stop the political games, ditch the distraction politics and focus on the crisis of public confidence in Stormont, rather than trading votes of no confidence in each other.

In Opposition Day motions this week, the SDLP is challenging Executive parties to rule out another collapse of Stormont before the end of this mandate, warning that doing so would be a dereliction of duty.

The party is also calling for a new political consensus to tackle Northern Ireland's biggest challenges, including health reform, wastewater infrastructure and the future of our schools.
 
SDLP Leader of the Opposition Matthew O'Toole said:

"Twenty years after St Andrews, our politics is still spending far too much time stuck in crisis and not enough time solving real problems.

"Executive parties need to get out of the trenches and get on with the jobs they were elected to do. They spend far too much time tabling votes of no confidence in each other when the real crisis of confidence is between the Executive and the public.

"Any party which chooses to collapse these institutions before the end of this mandate would be guilty of a dereliction of duty. People have had enough of manufactured crises, political grandstanding and endless excuses for inaction.
 
"That's why the SDLP is bringing forward motions this week challenging Executive parties to make two commitments: don't bring the institutions down, and start working together to tackle the problems holding Northern Ireland back.
 
"Our health service is struggling, wastewater infrastructure is holding back economic development, and schools are operating in ageing and unsustainable buildings. These challenges cannot be solved by one party or within one Assembly mandate.

"We are making the case for a new political consensus to agree a shared way forward on these issues, with parties committing to see those decisions through, regardless of who holds office. The SDLP is ready to play its part, whether in government or Opposition.

"That must begin with an Executive prepared to agree a multi-year Budget and take collective responsibility for delivering on shared priorities.

"Power-sharing remains the best way to govern Northern Ireland, but keeping the doors of Stormont open cannot be the limit of our ambition.

"Twenty years after St Andrews, the challenge isn't just proving that devolved government can survive. It's proving that it can deliver.

"It's time to get out of the political trenches, make the difficult decisions and get on with the job of improving people's lives."