Sinn Féin Foyle MLAs to step down before September

Martina Anderson and Karen Mullan had announced they would not contest the next assembly election in May

Martina Anderson and Karen Mullan will step down before the next assembly term in September, Sinn Féin have said.

The Foyle MLAs announced in May that they would not contest the next Assembly elections following a party restructure in Foyle.

The outgoing assembly members will be taking on new roles in the party, Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald said.

Mrs McDonald confirmed that procedures to select replacements for the vacant posts will begin this week.

She added that a selection convention would be held in Londonderry on 8 September "in time for those selected to take their seats in the assembly on September 13th".

Both Ms Mullan and Ms Anderson were asked to step down following concerns by party leadership around recent election results in the Foyle constituency.

Previously, Mrs McDonald defended the party's treatment of Ms Anderson after members of her family criticised the manner of her ousting.

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In the 2019 UK General Election, then Sinn Féin MP Elisha McCallion lost her Foyle seat to SDLP leader Colum Eastwood by more than 17,000 votes.

Months earlier, the party lost five seats on Derry City and Strabane District Council, losing its position as the largest party at council level.

Elisha McCallion (red coat) and Colum Eastwood (blue jacket) posed for a photograph during the 2019 general election campaign

In the wake of the December 2019 election, former Sinn Féin MLA for Foyle, Maeve McLaughlin, described the party's performance as a "major body blow", an "awful slap" and argued action must be taken.

One of Sinn Féin's most high-profile figures, Ms Anderson has represented the party as an MLA, junior minister and MEP since 2007.

Ms Mullan was co-opted into the assembly in June 2017 to replace Elisha McCallion, who had won the Foyle seat at Westminster.

'Continue to play a role'

Mrs McDonald paid tribute to her party colleagues and said "they will continue to play a role in the development of the party".

In a statement, Mrs McDonald said that Ms Anderson would be taking on a new international role for the party "promoting the case for Irish unity" in Europe.

"Martina will draw off her vast experience as a former Executive minister, and MEP, where she helped lead the fight against Brexit to ensure that the all-island economy and Good Friday Agreement would be protected," she said.

Ms Mullan is to take on a role strengthening cross-border co-ordination between the party's representatives in the north west.

Ms Anderson said that she has decided to take up her new role immediately "to give the newly selected candidates an opportunity to establish themselves as public representatives in advance of the next Assembly election".

"This is a period of huge change and opportunity for the party, for our Irish unity platform and I'm looking forward to taking on my new role and a fresh challenge," she added.

Ms Mullan paid tribute to party collegues in Foyle, saying it was a "real honour and privilege to represent and work for the people of Derry".