SDLP selects Reid as North Antrim candidate

Councillor Reid was selected at a virtual selection convention in the constituency on Sunday evening.

SDLP Leader Colum Eastwood said: “Since being elected as a councillor in 2019 Eugene Reid has worked tirelessly to make a difference for his constituents. He has been a powerhouse on the council, standing up for local services and exposing unacceptable behaviour.

“Eugene would be a huge asset to our SDLP team at Stormont. His extensive background in business and his specialist knowledge in areas like environmental science and climate change will make a real difference for people in North Antrim and across the North. As President of the Chamber of Commerce, he has helped guide local businesses through one of the most difficult periods in recent memory. I can’t think of anyone else in North Antrim with the skills or the experience to match Eugene’s record.”

Ballymena Councillor Eugene Reid said: “North Antrim has been failed by its politicians for too long. People are sick of politicians and political parties who stoke division for their own ends and who rack up huge expenses without a care for those struggling in our community.

“Some politicians in this area act like they are untouchable despite delivering nothing for our people. North Antrim was once a thriving centre of industry and retail, but employment has been decimated in the last few decades. People have watched business after business close and jobs lost with nothing to replace them.

“I believe that if we work together we can do better for all our communities. The SDLP has exciting plans for this place and I want to be part of it. We need to take drastic action to cut hospital and housing waiting lists, to deliver sustainable jobs and to protect our environment from the climate crisis. This will only be possible if people choose change. We’ve been down this road before, we know where Sinn Féin and the DUP have got us and we can’t take much more of it. All of our futures are at stake, if elected I will work to deliver for local people and reverse the decline that has beset North Antrim in recent years.”