SF excluded from SDLP conference

The SDLP conference will discuss all-Ireland cooperation

The SDLP has excluded Sinn Fein from a conference to discuss its new campaign to promote all-Ireland cooperation.

The party is holding the conference on its North South Makes Sense campaign at Stormont on Thursday.

SDLP leader Mark Durkan invited what he described as "democratic parties from the south" to the event to discuss "the need for all-Ireland cooperation".

He said Sinn Fein was not invited because it was a rival party which did not involve them in its events.

Mr Durkan said the campaign was aimed at delivering benefits for everyone on the island.

"Our economies, north and south, face common challenges, so it makes sense to find common solutions," he said.

He also called on the DUP and other unionists to resume talks with his party and said unionist arguments against north-south cooperation were "nonsense".