The SDLP’s Director of Communications Barry Turley has announced he is to leave his current position to take up the position of senior consultant with the public affairs company Stratagem NI.

Mr Turley, who has been the SDLP’s spin doctor for three years, said the decision to move on was “difficult”. However the former journalist, aged 33, said he was looking forward to working with a “cutting edge organisation which has led the way in developing public affairs and government relations work in Northern Ireland since the assembly was established.”

“The three years I spent with the SDLP have been challenging, enjoyable and difficult. I regard it as an immense privilege to have worked closely with John Hume and Seamus Mallon, to have seen the ascendancy of Mark Durkan and Bríd Rodgers to the leadership of the party, and to have been closely involved in the peace process. However for personal reasons, I have decided to move on from the SDLP and look forward to taking up my post.”

SDLP leader Mark Durkan has paid tribute to Mr Turley. He said: “I understand the professional and personal opportunity that has presented itself. I wish him well in his future career and I want to express a real thanks for all his work for the SDLP in the past few challenging and interesting years.”

The SDLP party is the latest casualty to have suffered a loss in their Stormont press political team.

The Ulster Unionist Party lost two press officers within months of each other and the post was advertised as recently as last month.

(AMcE)