As the SDLP’s International Secretary and representative, it was a great privilege to be elected to the PES Presidency for the next mandate which I endeavour to represent the party and the people of Northern Ireland to the best of my ability.

While there, I had the unique opportunity to attend the PES Leaders Dinner with SDLP Leader Claire Hanna MP and be included in one of the rare times so many world leaders sit down to break bread.

Congress provided the occasion to hear from many leading figures of our global family such as Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, former Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh and former Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern.

Last weekend I attended the Congress of @pes.eu in Amsterdam, kindly hosted by @groenlinks-pvda.bsky.social, as a @sdlp.bsky.social delegate. It was a vibrant congress that brought together heads of state, leaders, elected representatives, trade unionists and party activists from across Europe.

The @landworkersuk.bsky.social's are calling on UK Gov to:

Call for immediate & unconditional lifting of Gaza aid blockade

Join humanitarian convoy by dispatching diplomatic missions to accompany the aid into Gaza

Immediately suspend arms sales to Israel

Demand full & unconditional ceasefire

Our presence in Brussels also presented the opportunity to attend a roundtable discussion with Director of UNRWA Affairs in Gaza, Sam Rose. This discussion highlighted the operational and political challenges currently faced by UNRWA as they continue so provide essential life services in Gaza.

The political project of the European Union has always been a core part of the SDLP’s DNA and we are hard at work securing our European future. You can read Our European Future report here: www.sdlp.ie/our_european...

On Wednesday the @sdlp.bsky.social‬ returned the group meetings of @socialistsanddemocrats.eu in Brussels.

Our inclusion in these group meetings secures a voice for Northern Ireland in Europe again within the second largest grouping in the European Parliament.

At this meeting of the World Council the SDLP re-affirmed our solidarity with those who are facing dispossession, ethnic cleansing and a denial of the right to self determination in Palestine, Kurdistan, Artsakh and Western Sahara.

This was the first representation of the party within IUSY for many years and signals our intention to see our youth section take its place within IUSY as an active participant. It was a pleasure to connect with many friends from across the globe, including the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti.

At the weekend just passed I had the privilege to represent the Social Democratic & Labour Party (@sdlp.bsky.social‬) at the World Council of the International Union of Socialist Youth (IUSY) in Prishtina, Republic of Kosova (Kosovo), kindly hosted by Rinia për Vetëvendosje (RVV).

Celebrating the increasing scale of deportations “to secure our borders”, what an absolutely mortifying state UK Labour are in.

Plenty of horror in GB at Trump but policy and statements like this don’t warrant any consideration or reflection?

The vibes after the ‘Leaders Debate’ #GE24