Rodgers will not seek re-election to assembly

The SDLP were dealt a devastating blow today as one of their most influential representatives announced that she would not be standing for the next assembly elections.

SDLP Deputy leader and Minister for Agriculture Brig Rodgers has said that she will not put her name forward for reselection for the assembly elections, which are due to be held next May, because of "family reasons".

Mrs Rodgers said: "The SDLP in Upper Bann constituency has a number of talented, experienced and committed politicians, any one of whom would be excellent MLAs for the constituency. I am confident that the candidates selected will maximise the SDLP vote and at least one, possibly two will be returned to represent the people of Upper Bann."

A founding member of the party, Mrs Rodgers said she intended to maintain in her role as deputy leader, which she was elected to in November last year, and she added that she was "committed to completing my work as Minister for Agriculture".

At the last assembly elections in June 1998, Mrs Rodgers was elected on the first count with 9,260 votes, just over 3,000 short of the man who topped the poll – First Minister David Trimble. Of the six seats in the constituency, four were filled by unionists, with Mrs Rodgers and Sinn Fein's Dara O'Hagan bringing in the nationalist vote.

However, the SDLP vote has shown a decline in the area and at the Westminster elections in June 2001, the SDLP hit a low of 14% of the vote. The absence of a political big-hitter like Mrs Rodgers will have no small impact on the party's fortunes in the area, as centrist mainstream parties come under greater pressure from hardline and extremist parties.

Brid Rodgers has been widely recognised as an accomplished ministerial performer and picked up the Channel Four Politician Of The Year Award in 2001 largely for her handling of the foot-and-mouth outbreak. A hugely experienced politician, she has held a variety of senior posts within the SDLP and local government here, but she has also served in the Irish Seanad from 1983-1987.

The SDLP will select the candidates for the assembly elections at a convention on September 30.

(GMcG)