Labour TD says the party is getting ready for a general election

Min · 02-09-2012 10:11am #1

Colm Keaveney says on the Sunday Independent that the labour party are preparing for a general election. That it is "very probable" due to the health cuts, the upcoming budget and other issues.
The labour party have discussed it and are on an election footing.

Looks like Labour might want to go back to opposition because being in government is too much for them, easier to oppose than to deal with the economic crisis maybe.

Scofflaw · 02-09-2012 10:41am

Min wrote: »

Colm Keaveney says on the Sunday Independent that the labour party are preparing for a general election. That it is "very probable" due to the health cuts, the upcoming budget and other issues.
The labour party have discussed it and are on an election footing.

Looks like Labour might want to go back to opposition because being in government is too much for them, easier to oppose than to deal with the economic crisis maybe.

Let's see...a general election can only really be precipitated by Labour pulling out of the coalition - in what amounts to an admission that they're unable to protect their core constituencies in government. So they pull out and go back to the public, who will most likely recognise that fact, and who may well also be irritated by Labour's insistence on forcing another GE on us for their own political interests and because of their own admitted failure in coalition.

Yet there's no chance at all that Labour can come out of a GE with a majority, so what they're saying boils down to "we couldn't hack it, we won't be able to hack it in another coalition, and we don't care that we've just collapsed the government again during a crisis".

I can only presume their strategists are saying that disaffection with Fine Gael is large enough to weaken their main probable coalition partner to a point where Labour have more clout in the arrangement despite their own likely losses - but they don't lack clout in the current arrangement, rather they're constrained by the terms of the troika agreement, which won't change no matter who forms the new government.

So....to me, that looks like Labour deciding that what it really wants is to go back into opposition as a party even smaller than Sinn Fein. And I speak as someone who would usually vote Labour in 2nd place (after the Greens, so effectively first place). I have to admit that if they pull out right now, I won't be giving them a preference this time - I'm willing to see what a Fine Gael majority looks like.

cordially,
Scofflaw

Trotter · 02-09-2012 11:29am

I think that taking the necessary steps to put Ireland on a good footing are incompatible with our current system of government. All sorts of powerful and wealthy interests - unions, banks, influential sections of society.. All have the power over the existing parties to scupper proper ethical and progressive change. When parties who promise the moon and stars (Labour / Frankfurt for example) get into government, it all goes pear shaped.

When cuts start at the top and not at the end where it reduces carers allowances and the ability to buy food then I'll believe there's change happening. Going from 150k+ to 130k+ isn't hardship.. It's inconvenience.

Going from 2 slices of bread to 1 so as to leave an extra one for the child before bed is hardship. And yet I've heard more proposals to cut the latter than the former.

When Labour or any government party have the guts to rid us of the situation where TDs are claiming allowances for getting their laundry done and people are labelling a 10k 'cut' on a 200k + wage as progress, then I'll take notice of the party.

Until then, the elephant remains in the room that small to medium Ireland is taking the hit while large Ireland takes a minor inconvenience due to their power over decision makers.

I hoped labour would be relevant and I voted accordingly. I honestly don't know how I'd vote if there was a GE in 2013. I have zero faith in any party.

djh2009 · 02-09-2012 11:33am

I heard Pat Rabbite on radio the other day saying " .......that's if the government survive the next budget....." What does that tell us ?

fran17 · 02-09-2012 11:39am

could be time for pinocchio kenny to dust off the 5 point plan again

Manach · 02-09-2012 1:08pm

Perhaps in the event of an election, labour activitists can sell the idea of the home tax directly to the house-holders. Perhaps not.

Fenian Army · 02-09-2012 1:19pm

It's clear to me what this is, Labour will say stuff like this, kites will be flown about harsh cuts, the real thing won't be as bad, Labour will go to their grassroots, point at that and say "look what we did! We stopped the evil blueshirts from doing xyz, without us in govt things would be much worse"

And the gullible will lap it up.

Fenian Army · 02-09-2012 3:05pm

The means test for home help will be scrapped I reckon.

Conmaicne Mara · 03-09-2012 10:23am

Have Labour ever completed an actual full term in Government in this country?

Sierra Oscar · 03-09-2012 11:37am

They would not have a very good platform to stand on if they collapsed the government tomorrow. First off, people do not really want a General Election at the moment by the looks of it - secondly Labour were elected with participation in government in mind. They were not elected to sit on the opposition benches. If they collapse the government they will be admitting that they cannot achieve anything in government and we already know that little can be achieved in opposition.

So why vote for a failed political party which has admitted defeat? In anycase, it is just Keaveney posturing. There is a power struggle occurring within Labour at the moment and this is just a component of it.

03-09-2012 11:57am

Min wrote: »

Colm Keaveney says on the Sunday Independent that the labour party are preparing for a general election. That it is "very probable"...

The Sindo included that part in quotes, as if they have a source that has actually said those specific words. But what the line actually reads is:

Mr Keaveney and others in Labour say is now "very probable"

So did all of those people say "very probable"? Or was it just Keaveney? In which case why did they include "others"? Why didn't they include the full context of the 'quote'?

Boulevardier · 03-09-2012 12:31pm

Party members are beginning to find a voice, and this will put pressure on this government either to implement more Labour policies or call it a day.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/labour-movement-pursues-policy-alternative-205305.html

hmmm · 03-09-2012 6:09pm

Boulevardier wrote: »

Party members are beginning to find a voice, and this will put pressure on this government either to implement more Labour policies or call it a day.

Sad to say, but I think the time has come for a temporary FG/FF government in the national interest. A party like Labour will not take any hard decisions that impacts on their core vote, and we don't want the loolaas on the hard left making decisions.

The sad bit is that this will allow FF to recover.

Is Gilmore still in Sudan or North Korea or wherever he is these days, he seems awfully quiet.

Galwayguy35 · 03-09-2012 6:14pm

hmmm wrote: »

Sad to say, but I think the time has come for a temporary FG/FF government in the national interest. A party like Labour will not take any hard decisions that impacts on their core vote, and we don't want the loolaas on the hard left making decisions.

The sad bit is that this will allow FF to recover.

Is Gilmore still in Sudan or North Korea or wherever he is these days, he seems awfully quiet.

Can't ever see this happening TBH.

Sierra Oscar · 03-09-2012 7:35pm

hmmm wrote: »

Sad to say, but I think the time has come for a temporary FG/FF government in the national interest. A party like Labour will not take any hard decisions that impacts on their core vote, and we don't want the loolaas on the hard left making decisions.

The sad bit is that this will allow FF to recover.

Is Gilmore still in Sudan or North Korea or wherever he is these days, he seems awfully quiet.

The electorate made it very clear that they did not want FF in government following the last election. The party recognises that, and I also cannot see FF propping up an FG government all that soon.

hmmm · 03-09-2012 7:52pm

Sierra Oscar wrote: »

The electorate made it very clear that they did not want FF in government following the last election. The party recognises that, and I also cannot see FF propping up an FG government all that soon.

Well if that's the case the electorate need to put up or shut up. They can't both elect parties who will be unable to take on the PS unions, or take on the social welfare bill, and on the other hand say that they want rid of the CPA agreement and no increases in tax.

Boulevardier · 04-09-2012 9:38am

I would love to see a FG/FF government form. A Labour-led alliance would wipe the floor with them at the following general election.

hmmm · 04-09-2012 8:15pm

Boulevardier wrote: »

I would love to see a FG/FF government form. A Labour-led alliance would wipe the floor with them at the following general election.

That's the fear, but evidence in other countries (Germany most notably) is that "grand coalitions" can work and can break up in reasonably amicably.

Fenian Army · 04-09-2012 8:34pm

Oh look, health cuts are being partially reversed, who wudda guessed?

ednwireland · 04-09-2012 10:21pm

labour give up when they've spent years trying to get to the top of the gravy train - never (remember politicians are there to look after themselves no -one else, well i've never met one anyway)

oppenheimer1 · 04-09-2012 10:50pm

ednwireland wrote: »

labour give up when they've spent years trying to get to the top of the gravy train - never (remember politicians are there to look after themselves no -one else, well i've never met one anyway)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rq_tPH_ZBhs&feature=player_detailpage#t=286s

Labour will be destroyed if there is an election now. Like FF their best bet is to hold out till the end and hope things get better.

Boulevardier · 05-09-2012 1:26pm

"That's the fear," Fear among whom? Ireland needs a socialist government. meanwhile FF and FG could form themselves into the green tory party they really are.

Labour TD says the party is getting ready for a general election

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