FF-Labour Coalition

New_Departure06

Is this really such an impossibility? I know 80% of the party ruled it out. But if the numbers don't stack up then maybe?

Ah go on!

I think that the splits in the Rainbow over neutrality (FG have called for the Triple-Lock on military action to be scrapped i.e. the requirement for the govt, and Dail and UN Security Council to back military action before we could get involved) indicate their might be more common ground in policy terms between FF and Labour. Labour's Joe Costello denounced the FG proposal in the Dail.

I remember the short-lived FF-Labour govt as a rather good one.

IronMan

New_Departure06 wrote:

I remember the short-lived FF-Labour govt as a rather good one.

I remember it as being possibly the most badly organised, disruptive, and least productive government of the past 20 years. It caused much resentment amongst Labour supporters, and caused tremendous damage to the career of Dick Spring. Even today, the thoughts of going into power with FF, would be repulsive to alot of traditional Labour voters. FG are probably their more natural bed-fellows, Fitzgeralds liberal agenda and the move of Labour to the centre-left, has helped create this.

gandalf

Well as someone who was a member of the labour party and canvassed for Eithne Fitzgerald before that election I know the damage it did to Labour. A lot of households we called to said they were voting for Labour to get FF out and then what did Spring do he hopped straight into bed with them. They paid the cost of this at the next election in seats and lost alot of members including me back then.

FG and Labour will not agree on everything, the same as the PD's and FF don't agree on everything. I mean in the last election the PD's were urging people to vote for them because FF couldn't be trusted

IronMan

IronMan wrote:

I remember it as being possibly the most badly organised, disruptive, and least productive government of the past 20 years.

:eek:

How quickly they forget small matters like the Downing Street Declaration and the Peace Process...

Many in FF would find the prospect of coalition with Pat Rabbitte unpalatable.

New_Departure06

Well as someone who was a member of the labour party and canvassed for Eithne Fitzgerald before that election I know the damage it did to Labour. A lot of households we called to said they were voting for Labour to get FF out and then what did Spring do he hopped straight into bed with them. They paid the cost of this at the next election in seats and lost alot of members including me back then.

Okay but 1992 is a long time ago.

John_C

The way I see it the sum of FF and SF seats after the next election will be either a majority or close to it. If that's the case FG and Labour will not have enough seats to enter government no matter who they join up with.

That leaved FF & Lab as one of the few remaining combinations.

Dirk Gently

I wonder if Pet rabbit would be suicidal enough to go in with FF if there was a need for a collation other than FG. I wouldn't put it past him, not that he would admit it before the votes were counted. Comrade Bertie and Pet rabbit at a candle lit cabinet table eating smoked salmon and drinking champagne while discussing right wing policies?

We all know FF will go in with anyone, except possibly SF. The question is how principled are Labour. Will they ditch the blueshirts in favour of socialist :rolleyes: Bertie? Wouldn't put anything past them to be honest. Only time will tell.

meldrew

Nothing can be ruled out in politics especially Irish politics , FF will be so desperate to stay in power they'll talk to anyone imo .

meldrew

meldrew wrote:

Nothing can be ruled out in politics especially Irish politics , FF will be so desperate to stay in power they'll talk to anyone imo .

FF like power, but the opposition are even more desperate - hence the so called 'rainbow coalition' being really just a collection of parties who don't like FF rather than anything driven by ideology.

Cork

Labour and FF is the most likely outcome of the next election.

Labour has more in common with FF than other partys.

The seat numbers will be telling but I feel Bertie will be this country's next Taoiseach.

Bertie will do business with all independents and partys except the shinners.

I have no problem with this.

darkman2

Deleted User wrote:

FF like power, but the opposition are even more desperate - hence the so called 'rainbow coalition' being really just a collection of parties who don't like FF rather than anything driven by ideology.

The alternative government wouldnt be a patch on what we have, which is not great I know but definatley the best of evils.

Red Alert

Labour risk alienating everything they stand for by going into bed with FF. The FF/Labour Coalition was in essence a Fianna Fail government. The finance minister was Bertie Ahern, an FF'er, hence FF economic policies were going to be the order of the day. My mam and I liked labour, Dick Spring etc, but I wouldn't give them a vote now if I thought they were going within an asses roar of FF.

The FG/Labour coalition is a workable one, and Enda and Pat appear to be able to get down to business. There are probably more FF/PD differences than would appear in a FF/Labour job.