SDLP MP Eddie McGrady has stepped down as the chief whip of the party's group at the Northern Ireland Assembly, it emerged tonight.
A party spokesperson confirmed that the South Down MP announced his decision at the weekly SDLP group meeting at Stormont this week.
A spokeswoman for Mr McGrady said while he was standing down from his role in the Assembly, he remained chief whip of the overall party at Westminster.
"Eddie has stepped down as the principle whip of the Assembly group," she confirmed.
"The decision has been taken because he has been very busy.
"However, Eddie remains the chief whip outside of Stormont."
Mr McGrady has been the MP for South Down since 1987 when he unseated Enoch Powell of the Ulster Unionists.
He is the third veteran member of the party to step down from a post within the SDLP.
Foyle MP and Nobel Peace Prize winner John Hume stood down as party leader at the SDLP conference in Newcastle, County Down, in November to make way for Mark Durkan.
Deputy leader Séamus Mallon also stood down at the conference and stepped aside in the powersharing executive to enable Mr Durkan to take over his role as Deputy First Minister.
Brid Rodgers succeeded Mr Mallon as SDLP deputy leader in a five-way election contest for the post at the SDLP conference.
Sinn Féin tonight suggested Mr McGrady's decision to step down could be a sign of internal tensions within the SDLP over the appointment of a new minister to the power-sharing executive.
In a reference to SDLP leader Mark Durkan's selection in December of South Belfast MLA Carmel Hanna as Employment and Learning Minister, a Sinn Féin spokesman said: "Mr McGrady's resignation is obviously a serious issue.
"It is possible indication of some of the bad blood created in the scramble for the ministerial position which became available when Mark Durkan switched to Deputy First Minister.
"Eddie McGrady's talent and expertise as a chief whip will be missed."
PA