Ross's future is the past says Conway

He said: “The political ghost of Willie Ross into the election represents the bankruptcy of unionism in general and its failure to acknowledge that the past failed everyone. Surely it is surely time to move on together as one people focusing on jobs and wealth creation.

“Neither he nor the present incumbent Gregory Campbell (DUP) have anything to offer the electorate of East Derry and a vote for them is a wasted vote which will deliver nothing but the occasional press release on the issues which divide rather than unite.

“The SDLP is well placed in this election to record a historic victory based on the hard work of the party over the last decade.

“The people of East Derry want nothing more than equality and a recognition that discrimination had been the order of the day when Willie Ross last was MP, a situation which Gregory Campbell failed to address when he won the seat in an election which saw the SDLP come a comfortable third.

“This time there is a clear message which means voters discarding the failures of the past and backing the SDLP which is clearly focussed on what needs to be done to revive the economy, reverse the job losses in industry and commerce and provide a ray of hope where there has been hopelessness in the past.”