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Labour row over candidate choice in Sligo-N Leitrim leitrim |
politics / elections |
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 Monday August 23, 2010 11:26 by Star Ship - n/A
 The question of a split in the Labour Party Camp is not going away In an article in the "Sunday Tribune" on 25th July 2010, Conor McMorrow wrote about the "parachute candidate". The question that can now be asked is what the future holds and what is going to happen to the Labour Party in Sligo/N Leitrim, now that the general public and the dogs in the street, are aware that all is not well within the local party.? what a way to start an election campaign. After the two candidates got 71 votes each, it was then decided to choose the general election candidate by a draw from a hat. But Cawley's delight at being drawn from the hat was short-lived when it was announced that under Labour Party rules it is the name that is left in the hat that wins, so O'Keefe was declared the winner. |
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Comments (34 of 34)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34The labour party are no different than fianna fail or fine gael-the ireish people go with the hare and the hound and its more of the same-one only has to look at the corruption in the legal profession.
Is it possible that Labour would even contemplate bringing Fianna Fail back into government after the next general election? According to reports in today's Sindo, that is precisley what is going on.
This is a quote from a senior member of the Labour Party and it sends out a chilling message that we could be stuck with the same politicains who have beggered the country after the next electoon.
"It's clear many of us would work better with Fianna Fail than we would with Fine Gael. Our policies are closer and it's a better fit. We would waste an awful lot of time arguing with the Fine Gael lads which I think wouldn't happen with Fianna Fail, particularly under Lenihan,"
Given what we now know, how could any self respecting party, let alone a party that claims to be left of centre, get into bed with Fianna Fail? Can any member of the party out there tell us what is going on. This story outs the party as nothing more that an opportunist entity whose only ambition is to get on the gravytrain.
The suggestion by these senior Labour Party members that Lenihan is somehow acceptable won't wash. Lenihan has adopted a policy that is seeing the impact of the recession being borne by the least well off in our community. He refuses to introduce a fair and progressive tax system and we saw again last week figures released from Revenue which show that those on huge incomes are still paying little or no income tax.
Labour must come clean
It seems that the "senior source" is Joan Burton. No surprises here
Ok, so there's an article in the Sunday rag, quoting a 'source'. This rag's use of sources had led me to believe the opposite of what's put in print on the glorified toilet paper. Help, if tony et al wrote an article saying that global warming was accelerating, I'd probably denounce my views on global warming and say it wasn't a real phenomenon. That said, labour are about as scrupulous as the greens so nothing is beyond them.
Labour will go into government with anyone depending on how the votes are shared out at the next general election.
Fine Gael would go into government with Fianna Fail if they had to.
Fine Gael, Fianna Fail and Labour will not come out and say they wouldn't go into government with Shinners.
In fact they would happily go into government with the shinners if they could use them as a mudguard just as Fianna Fail used the PD's and are currently using the Greens as a mudguard.
Nothing is every an impossibility when the prize is power.
Labour or Fianna Fail or Fine Gael would go into power with Joe Higgins on the cabinet table for goodness sake that was the arithmetic.
In parliamentary systems, whether a party can refrain from making unpleasant compromises depends on the VOTERS (what they decide). The outcome of an election may well be that there are NO possible "governments" which do not involve uncomfortable bed partners.
If you want to criticize various coalition choices you need to describe your alternative for a majority coalition (and why that would be better). And no, the limited position of a junior coalition partner isn't a tactical choice of a senior party to have a "mudguard". It is again the decision of the voters (who didn't give that junior partner more seats and thus more clout).
Note that "the times" make a difference too. If there is a national crisis and stark measures needed for survival you often get a "national unity" coaltion of parties that are actually "enemy" to each other (but can agree to "bury the hatchet" till the crisis is over).
Voting citizens are free between the dissolution of the Dail and 9 p.m. on election day. After the counting the elected TDs get on with business as usual. The best service Labour could render the parliamentary process would be to ignore the courtship of either FF and FG and force a grand coalition between FF and FG. But that won't happen because, in the "national interest", Gilmore will negotiate a coalition deal with FG.
Historically FG has been stingier with the public finances than FF, although the effers have cut closely to the kidneys when it suited them, but they have also cleverly splurged funds in a targeted way (the Gregory deal for example) when pressed by circumstances.
No matter who you vote for a government always gets in. The rewards of high office thwart principled political consistency.
I Agree
even the smell of power can bring about great change in the views and values of all parties
Labour and FG are no different
one would think, they should have learned from the price the PD's and the Green's were willing to pay. Maybe there is some kind of mind altering vapours that comes with power.
plenty of money for backroom deals but cut hard at the coal face.
Statement from Gilmore as reported in today's Irish times;
"Meanwhile, Mr Gilmore also denied weekend speculation that Labour would be prepared to go into coalition with Fianna Fáil after the next election should Taoiseach Brian Cowen step aside as leader.
He said Labour will not put Fianna Fáil back into power irrespective of who was leading the party. Mr Gilmore said his party would not join Fianna Fáil in “any shape or form”."
Now that wasn't too hard, however it must raise a question over Joan Burtons political savy.
It is now over two months since the national executive decided to choose Susan as the preferred candidate for Sligo/NL.Veronica decided to take the summer off to consider her options ie run as an Independent,as it's now the autumn and still no word,I presume she has quietly accepted the situation and will now fully back the campaign to regain the Labour seat in Sligo/NL.
According to Joan Burton speaking on local radio,she said the local party is fully united and all members are prepared to work hard to ensure Susans election.However their was a poor attendance at Monday nights public meeting in the Park Hotel,none of the three local councillors attended.It appears the party is still split.
Is there a split in Sligo/N Leitrim talk on the ground says there is a big one.
Rumour has it that Cawley supporters are sickened with the details of the story that unfolded about the level of interference by Dublin on the run up to the convention. They want nothing to do with O"Keeffe.
They will not be happy for sure, but how many will resign like Alwyn Love? He resigned over the summer,, as he was unhappy with what was going on in the party. He went for a job as regional organiser and didn’t even get short listed, while others who did nothing for the party where called for interview. Alwyn gave nearly two years of his life, to build up a party base in his rural area. Then O’Keeffe the thief expected to walk in and be welcomed with open arms. That Alwyn and many others would walk the roads and use shoe leather, to get her votes in the party interest. All The Thief is interested in, is making for the Senate, to get back home to Dublin on the backs of the people of Sligo. Alwyn is a man of principle and he stood by them. He walked when he seen what was going on,,fair play to him.
Typical politicians , when the same wannabees are preening themselves & attending
meetings from opening a dirt track to opening a field with a view to getting in to power
with the assistance of your votes and then the big day arrives & they become an
elected representative i agree they suddenly change their persona (s) ...
Its the very same scenario now , a crisis has been caused in the fiscal world & here
they are queing up to solve it for us all , one is going to do this , one is going to do that
and between the lot of them play acting on the radio & television , hisssssing at each
other and swearing vengeance in their ''way forward'' , appearing to be having the
answer to everything ,and more , and yet the same scroungers, the entire 166 are
allowing corruption to continue on la grande scale , ;;
and all this play acting is being financed with our money , you couldn't make it up ;
If alwyn resigned ,why did,nt he announce it publicly?,it will be a major blow for the Sligo Labour Party,as Alwyn on his first outing in the locals got almost 700 first preference votes and was unlucky not to win a council seat.however it appears he's taken the huff because he was sidestepped for the organisers job,not because of any sympathy with Mrs Cawleys plight.Anyway it's common knowledge in Sligo that everyone in Sligo Labour just does their own thing.I'm told that no AGM was held in the last fourteen months,they also don't bother with constituency or branch meetings.
Will Alwyn now consider running in the next GE as an Independent as south Sligo badly needs decent representation,considering the two gombeens currently there.Im also informed that North Leitrim community activist and former Labour party local election candidate Gabrelle Mc Sharry will shortly announce his intention to run in the GE as an IndependentIf Mrs Cawley reconsiders and also runs we will be spoiled for choice as regards Labour and former Labour candidates.
One would imagine the many hard grafters who are members of The Labour Party would be totally against corruption
particularly given the times that are a changin ' , not a bit or so it seems , you have of course heard of a website which
has become famous for exposing the members of the legal fraternity , some who get your money mixed up with theirs
and so on , others who are hell bent on robbing your pot plant in order to have more pot plants to add to the ones they
have already got by fair means or foul , others of the legal fraternity who would rob the bed from underneath you as you
shivered whilst they read out the written up ( after the court case has been dealt with ) court orders , and so on . To date ,
no fewer than 2,200 approx cowboys & cowgals have been ' collared ' on www.Rate-your-solicitor.com & the P.R.O.
Mr John Gill has released his long awaited book on corruption , the book launch was held in The Longford Arms Hotel
on 18th September 2010 & by all accounts John had a great turnout with vicims of the legal profession society V.L.P.S.
travelling from the 4 corners of corrupt Ireland to lend much valued support .
John Gill and the V.L.PS. are no strangers to Indymedia Irl where many a feature has been written about their plight
over the years , please keep your eye out for the book which is available by sending 25 euros + 3 euros p.p. to John
Gill , Drumline , Newmarket - on - fergus , Co Clare ,087-656-7302 or any good bookshop should be stocking copies.
It's a pity The Labour Party never took the opportunity and give creedence to this very worthy cause , especially with
the level of corruption ongoing on the island of ireland & ol' Joan mouthin her head off 24 x 7 & what joan would do if
it were left to joan , etc etc etc . Horses for courses they say , eh .
O'Keeffe was a no show at the Cowen protest, held on Friday night, over health cutbacks and workers having to pay the cost of the economic meltdown caused by FF/PD/Greens. She has no hope at all of winning a seat even though the door is wide open for a candidtae from the left. Declan Bree is the obvious alternative if he decides to run.
O’Keefe the Thief didn’t turn up!!!! Maybe she was already inside attending the Chamber of Commerce dinner, after all she is well in with them. From listing to Gilmore on local radio last Friday (the same day as the protest). One would be forgiven for thinking that there was no Labour Party organisation in Sligo. Let along for thinking that there were any Labour Party councillors in Sligo. O’Keefe the Thief sounded like wonder women coming to save the west.
Bree would have the best chance for sure. As the Dublin Labour Party have forced a split in the local Sligo constituency, this will result in local members not supporting the parashoot candidate from Dublin and may very well see them opt to support Bree insteed, seeing that he was a member of the Labour Party for years. When was there a constituency meeting held last? or when did the executive meet? it must be close on a year. Bet there are plenty of meeting held in a warren some where, behind closed doors, for a select group of hand picked "intellegent" members. This is furtile ground for Bree to pick up supporters as a true socialist who is not just playing games.
The Labour Party in Sligo town is hopelessly divided. Personality issues and the rise of Sinn Fein during the past twenty years have led to this sorry state of affairs. I predict that in Sligo-North Leitrim it will be 1 FF and 2 FG after the count in the next general election. The SF candidate will come fourth and be unelected on the final count.
Alwyen made a veiled attack on his former colleagues when he accused them of lacking any vision and accusing 99.9% of them only in it for the money and bloated expenses.It's ironic that on Sligo County Council two of the top three best paid councillors Veronica Cawley and Wee Jimmy McGarry are each taking in excess of 60000. Plus per annum,Alwyen promises to remain in politics and fight to reform the system as an Independent,he would have been elected at the last locals if he didn't have the handicap of the Labour label.Alwyen also stated he wasn't ruling out the possibility of contesting the upcoming GE.
What all true Labour inclined people in Sligo past and present members and supporters should do is bury any past differences,get together and form a genuine left alternative to the present parachute candidate who appears to be only using Sligo/NL as a stepping stone to the Senate.True Labour people could do worse than selecting a genuine left minded person like Veronica Cawley,and taking into account the Hugh left vote in the Sligo urban area,unite against the blow ins and make sure the ordinary people of Sligo/NL have proper genuine local representation.
You have to remember, the Dublin establishement have imposed the thief of the West onto the people of Sligo/N Leitrim, having no regard for the party on the ground or the needs of the people of this area. The oppinion polls have gone to thier heads and they are floating. They seen Sligo as trouble in the past with Declan Bree, Jimmy McGarry and Veronica Cawley not towing the party line as expected. When O'Keefe was asked to join the Labour Party after been rejected by FG, a deal was made, a run for Europe and full support from Dublin to get the nomination in her present location Sligo/N Leitrim, remember at this time Mary Upton nor Liz has indicated they were stepping down in Dublin ,O'Keefe's home town. No one knows what or where she had been for years, no worries to the Dublin lads they were looking for national profile at any cost. They deserve nothing less than what is starting to happen in Sligo/N Leitrim now. Alwyn Love has left the Labour Party and I am sure many more have left, but they were not as well know as him, but were just as loyal in the past. Alwyn left while spouting off about vision and the lack of it and about councillors getting paid too much for what they do. and the direct interference by Dublin in the constituency. Me thinks he does protest to much about the councillors one. What would he have done himself if he had got those 50 odd votes he needed to get elected ? talking about vision this is sadly lacking in the Labour Party too, as many people are only turning to the party as an alternative because its there, rather than the level of vision within it. Alwyn was right about that, he was a great asset to the local party and the thief will have her work cut out for her, in his area or should i say her backdoor.
Interesting times the people are waiting.
Susan won the contest within the Labour Party and will have the total unconditional and wholehearted backing of the local membership in her quest to regain the Labour seat in Sligo/NLeitrim.Labour nationally are at between 25% and 30% in the latest opinion polls and as such with an outstanding candidate of the stature of Susan,it's an almost certainty that this constituency will once again have a Labour TD.we in Sligo are so lucky to have a person of Susans caliber and talent willing to represent us in Dail Eireann,and it wouldn't surprise me if she is made a Minister in the Labour led Government with Eamon as Taoiseach.
Super Star get real,Bree will not be running in any more general elections,the Labour Party was glad to see the back of him.SusanOKeefe is an excellent candidate fully in tune with the needs and wants of the Sligo/NLeitrim people,she towers over any othe candidate in the field intellectually and will make a superb articulate representative for this constituency.Something which has been of an appalling standard up till now.
Super Star get real,Bree will not be running in any more general elections,the Labour Party was glad to see the back of him.SusanOKeefe is an excellent candidate fully in tune with the needs and wants of the Sligo/NLeitrim people,she towers over any othe candidate in the field intellectually and will make a superb articulate representative for this constituency.Something which has been of an appalling standard up till now.
There is every likelihood that Bree will in fact run again. If he does he will outpoll O'Keefe easily and has an outside chance of the third seat. FF and FG guaranteed a seat each and FG more than likely to take third but with labour and SF transfers (particularly from the town) Bree could just edge it. As for O'Keefe's capability she hasnt a clue. Vincent Browne made mince meat of her over the Lisbon Treaty. She is afraid to take a defiinitive stand on anything in case she offends someone. A complete waste fo space
it will be interesting to see the make up of candidates after the two up coming selection conventions. Who will fly the flag for SF since Sean McManus stepped down ? Will it be Chris or Arthur or Michael or maybe a new face! FG are looking to run two, to get two. Perry an another, will it be North Leitrim or Sligo town that is the big question. Perry will be looking for ministerial position for sure and why not he has been there a long time. Four have put their names forward over a big spread of the constituency. It will be interesting to see what happens FG have the best chance of two seats.
We are political mushrooms. They feed us shit and keep us all in the dark
this is exactly the manure the media usually feed us about elections. Personality politics, facts and figures.
It doesn't matter a whit who gets in or how they feel about it. All that matters are ISSUES. please lets not have an RTE1 political discussion here. Lets discuss ISSUES. And for once lets just Vote for the person who will stand up and actually try to change what is wrong instead of perpetuating our compliance with rapacious capitalism, not johnny the the cute hoor who has put a spell on us through soundbites. That may mean voting outside the tweedeldee tweedledumb tweedledumber (i.e. L, FG, FF) cartel.
A mass exodus to SF or socialists would really hurt the capitalists who got us into this mess. And honestly.How much worse can it get? What have we got to lose at this stage? The right wing crooks had their chance and look what they did with it. A more well proven ANTI-HUMAN "failed ideology" I have yet to see!! Lets vote for parties whose policies address the ISSUES we actually care about and who are PRO-HUMAN
V,unfortunately Sligo/NLeitrim is bereft of politicians who fight elections on real Issues,they all subscribe to a middle of the road right wing agenda.This constituency is not unique in this,it's quite obvious according to the latest opinion polls that the Blueshirts and Labour will replace FiannaFailer and their lap dogs the Greens after the next GE.As regards Issues and Policies this as you know will make absolutely no difference to ordinary people who will continue to pay for the excesses of the Bankers,Builders,Speculators and Developers.
Susan it appears held her official launch last Thursday ,about a dozen turned up no councillors,meanwhile Veronica the real candidate attended The Winning The West Conference in Castlebar,I wonder why?.
Declan Bree and members of his support group attended a meeting in Dublin last weekend,at which it was decided to run left wing candidates under a united platform in several constituencies.It now appears likely that Declan will be selected to contest the next GE,thus offering the people of Sligo/NLeitrim an alternative to the cosy right wing wing consensus of the main political parties.
It now appears that "Wonder Woman"has hijacked the Sligo Save our Campaign,is their no end to her prowess?.I didn't see any of the elected alongside her in O,Connell St last Saturday as she and her " supporters" collected signatures inviting Mary Harney to Sligo for a pow wow.