Former church leader 'discarded' by united Ireland group

Norman Hamilton said the way he and others had been treated was "appalling"

A former Presbyterian moderator is demanding an apology from the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) after he discovered on a podcast that he and others had been "discarded" from the party's New Ireland Commission.

The commission was set up four years ago to examine the possibility of a united Ireland and BBC News NI understands that its 32 members have never met in person.

SDLP MP Colum Eastwood said the initiative had "moved on" from having a formal panel.

However former Presbyterian minister Norman Hamilton, who was one of the most high-profile members, said the way he and others had been treated was "appalling".

'Ethical poverty'

"I am pretty miffed at finding out on a BBC broadcast that I have been discarded along with all the others," Dr Hamilton told BBC News NI's Borderland podcast, which explores key questions about the shape and timing of any potential referendum on Irish unity.

"I am a Christian minister so I need to watch my language here but there is ethical poverty around this.

"This is appalling that people are just discarded without even being told they are being discarded."

He added that "if that is a commentary on how a united Ireland is going to be handled by nationalists, let's not have it".

SDLP MP Colum Eastwood is the former leader of the party

When asked about when the grouping had last met, Eastwood said it was no longer a commission "in those terms".

"We have moved on from that, we are not having big meetings of that group any more," he said.

"What we are doing is meeting ordinary people, we are commissioning lots and lots of research, lots of focus groups and polling which we are doing quietly and privately."

He added that the group was "doing some public events."

Last weekend, SDLP leader Claire Hanna called for the Irish government to establish a New Ireland ministry and to create a structure for an all-island debate on unity.

However Dr Hamilton said the party's own handling of that conversation had been unacceptable.

"An apology from the party leader would be very appropriate and that's what I'll be expecting," he said.

On Wednesday afternoon, Hanna issued a statement saying: "Although these matters arose before I became party leader, I am reaching out to Rev Dr Norman Hamilton and others, who I apologise to.

"As SDLP leader I set out our vision for a New Ireland at our conference last weekend - this is core to our political project and I will be personally driving it.

"The SDLP is confident in our ability to convene and progress a reconciled new ireland. We are building something new with people, communities and political parties across the region and the island as a whole."

A spokesperson for the New Ireland Commission said Dr Hamilton was held in "high regard" and acknowledged the "skills, experiences and contribution" of all those who had worked with the commission.

They "deeply regret if he feels undervalued", adding: "That was never our intention".