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| Durkan 'to stay until February' | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The SDLP executive has decided that Mark Durkan should stay on as leader until next February when the party's annual conference is due to take place. | |
| The decision was taken on Thursday at a specially arranged meeting to discuss the timetable for his departure. | |
| The executive also backed his proposal to bring the date for the nomination of a new leader forward to 1 November. | |
| Mr Durkan's announcement on Sunday that he intended step down as leader had led to tensions within the SDLP. | |
| He made the comments during an interview on BBC Radio Ulster, which took many of his party colleagues by surprise. | |
| Although the SDLP Assembly team agreed on Monday that he should stay on until after the Westminster election, expected next May, others within the SDLP felt this was impractical. | |
| It is thought party members wanted a new leader in place before voters go to the polls. | |
| Successor | |
| Mr Durkan left Thursday's meeting without making any comment but it is understood that he outlined his reasons for not seeking re-election as SDLP leader. | |
| Party Chairman Joe Byrne said Mr Durkan proposed bringing the process to appoint his successor forward because "he had given an earlier than anticipated public indication of his intention not to seek re-election". | |
| He added: "Mark Durkan will continue to play a key role in the party both as leader now and as the MP for Foyle in the future". |