One of Northern Ireland’s most prominent nationalist politicians, Seamus Mallon was at the heart of the Social Democratic and Labour Party for three decades.

A member of the power-sharing Sunningdale Executive from 1973 to 1974, he was deputy leader of the party from 1979 to 2001, and was the SDLP spokesman on policing and justice, as well as MP for Newry and Armagh from 1983 to 2005.