The South Belfast and Mid Down MP Claire Hanna has confirmed she is seeking to become the next leader of the SDLP.

The move is not a surprise after she was endorsed by both the outgoing leader Colum Eastwood and the party’s Stormont leader Matthew O’Toole.

In a statement she recognised the party is in a “challenging” period.

The SDLP, she said, “must have the humility to recognise that we have to work harder to resonate with people and earn future electoral success”.

If Claire Hanna succeeds in her declared intention of growing the SDLP’s electoral reach she will have succeeded where her predecessors have failed in recent times.

Twenty six years ago, in the first assembly election, the SDLP received more first preference votes than any other.

Now it’s fifth without even enough seats to earn a place in the Executive.

That is the challenge.

She will know it will take more than brave words to stop the Sinn Féin juggernaut.