Adams invites Labour, Greens to join SF in 'new alliance'

Tom65

Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams has called on Labour and the Greens to join his party in "a new alliance for change" which would provide "an egalitarian alternative to the politics of greed, inefficiency, waste and corruption".

In his presidential address to the party's ardfheis (annual conference) in Dublin today he said: "I believe the time is right for a new alliance of all people and parties that want real and fundamental change."

The replacement of the current coalition by another arrangement, with Fine Gael as the main party, would be "like replacing Tweedledum with Tweedledee". He added: "In my view the Labour Party has a duty not to prop up either Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael.

"Instead Labour should explore with us and others the potential for co-operation in the future.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2009/0221/breaking33.htm


Do ye think it's possible to have a Labour/SF/Green government, presumably involving independents too? The last Irish Times poll put Labour at 24%, Sinn Fein at 9%, Greens at 4%, and Independents at 9%. That's 46%.
I think it's conceivable, if there were to be a general election in the next couple of weeks, but highly unlikely. Fianna Fáil support would have to stay low, and FG would have to drop too (though consider in the same IT poll it was down 2%).

That said, I think the electorate would find a Green/SF government fairly unpalatable given the Greens performance so far in the current government, and SF's...hmm...baggage.

Serenity Now!

Tom65 wrote: »

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2009/0221/breaking33.htm


Do ye think it's possible to have a Labour/SF/Green government, presumably involving independents too? The last Irish Times poll put Labour at 24%, Sinn Fein at 9%, Greens at 4%, and Independents at 9%. That's 46%.
I think it's conceivable, if there were to be a general election in the next couple of weeks, but highly unlikely. Fianna Fáil support would have to stay low, and FG would have to drop too (though consider in the same IT poll it was down 2%).

That said, I think the electorate would find a Green/SF government fairly unpalatable given the Greens performance so far in the current government, and SF's...hmm...baggage.

In Ireland, coalitions are formed to keep the Shinners and their likes out of any sniff at govt office so no, not a chance.
Personally speaking, I wouldn't vote for them if they went in league with the Dalai Lama.

dhorgan3

Serenity Now! wrote: »

In Ireland, coalitions are formed to keep the Shinners and their likes out of any sniff at govt office so no, not a chance.
Personally speaking, I wouldn't vote for them if they went in league with the Dalai Lama.

Out of interest who would you vote for? Since we know who u wouldn't vote for..

Hes dead right though...fine geal would probably be worse than fianna fail if anything..

Serenity Now!

dhorgan3 wrote: »

Out of interest who would you vote for? Since we know who u wouldn't vote for..

That would be my business, wouldn't it? I actually went independent on somebody who is not part of these homogenous mainstream parties who have been in power. Not only that but they also have never been in a political wing representing the PIRA.

guinnessdrinker

I'm not sure if FG would be worse than FF. Right now I'm not sure if any party would be worse. I would like to see change though and would not lose sleep if a Labour/SF/Green coalition came about.

MG

Deleted User wrote: »

Hes dead right though...fine geal would probably be worse than fianna fail if anything..

Ah yeah let's keep Fianna Fail, apart from whole ruining the country, they're clearly the best.

Isn't it this kind of "thinking" the reason we have had nearly 12 disasterous rule

lostexpectation

Serenity Now! wrote: »

In Ireland, coalitions are formed to keep the Shinners and their likes out of any sniff at govt office so no, not a chance.
Personally speaking, I wouldn't vote for them if they went in league with the Dalai Lama.

2 terrorists in coalition!

spoonbadger

Did no-one else hear gerry adam's rant about republicanism and a united ireland?. *Thats* the biggest reason i wont be voting for sinn fein. They have warped priorities, wrong aims and a very biased viewpoint. There are too many problems in the country already, before we start digging up 100-year-old political vendettas.

At least FF and FG are somewhat interested in the *real* problems here. Sure, they care more about their cushy jobs, keeping the cash in their wallets and keeping their TDs in the front benches, but i dread to think what would happen if Mr. Adams got his hands on the steering wheel.

As weird as it sounds, i think labour and the greens are our only hope

MG

If this coalition comes to power, we may as well all just emigrate.

lostexpectation

did the hour of tv have speech from caimhin O'C in it?

MG

MG wrote: »

Ah yeah let's keep Fianna Fail, apart from whole ruining the country, they're clearly the best.

Isn't it this kind of "thinking" the reason we have had nearly 12 disasterous rule

No, you misunderstand...id never vote for either of them...
Labour all the way..

lostexpectation

spoonbadger wrote: »

Did no-one else hear gerry adam's rant about republicanism and a united ireland?. *Thats* the biggest reason i wont be voting for sinn fein. They have warped priorities, wrong aims and a very biased viewpoint. There are too many problems in the country already, before we start digging up 100-year-old political vendettas.

At least FF and FG are somewhat interested in the *real* problems here. Sure, they care more about their cushy jobs, keeping the cash in their wallets and keeping their TDs in the front benches, but i dread to think what would happen if Mr. Adams got his hands on the steering wheel.

As weird as it sounds, i think labour and the greens are our only hope

sf contend a united ireland would have better economy, which is a fair point

ejmaztec

Isn't FG also riddled with dynasties, as well as retired GAA personalities?

spoonbadger

lostexpectation wrote: »

sf contend a united ireland would have better economy, which is a fair point

But it aint gonna happen. Ever. And the time/effort spent on such a white elephant could be better used elsewhere!.

dlofnep

SF has and would have my vote.

lostexpectation

spoonbadger wrote: »

But it aint gonna happen. Ever. And the time/effort spent on such a white elephant could be better used elsewhere!.

our economies are merging more and more everyday. already

José Alaninho

dlofnep wrote: »

SF has and would have my vote.

+1

mike65

I like the way a man who has no electoral mandate in this state makes such a call.

bobbbb

oops

dlofnep

mike65 wrote: »

I like the way a man who has no electoral mandate in this state makes such a call.

He is the leader of a party which covers the 32 counties of Ireland. He can make whatever call he sees fit.

mike65

He should feck off back up North and SF should elect a leader from the ROI for ROI business.

As for his proposition, its clearly an offer he knows will be turned down but it gets da meeja talking about SF so he's happy.

dlofnep

mike65 wrote: »

He should feck off back up North and SF should elect a leader from the ROI for ROI business.

All-Ireland party. 32 counties.

population

I would vote for a Left coaltion.

Can it really be any worse than what we have been served up since the formation of the state????

mike65

All-Ireland party. 32 counties.

So what? The next election to change the government of the ROI takes place in the ROI, whats hard to understand about that?

Jimbo

I'm afraid it's fairly inconcievable to have a government without FF or FG.
Sinn Fein should be siding with FG if they ever want a chance of being in government.

dlofnep

mike65 wrote: »

So what? The next election to change the government of the ROI takes place in the ROI, whats hard to understand about that?

He is the leader of a party which covers the 32 counties of Ireland. It is his business to cover both the 26 and 6 counties. Whats hard to understand about that?

I'm sure our northern friends would love to hear "Feck back up the north". Lovely attitude.

mike65

Sinn Fein should be siding with FG if they ever want a chance of being in government.

dlofnep

SF would never enter Government with FG.

Dr Galen

dlofnep wrote: »

I'm sure our northern friends would love to hear "Feck back up the north". Lovely attitude.

i'm a northerner living in Dublin for many years, and I agree that he should feck off back home.

The statement regarding the labour and greens link up was nothing more than a media attention garnering, bandwagon jump. You can't honestly think that
a) it would ever happen and b) even if it did, that it would work out for the good

dlofnep

Ireland is his home.

Dr Galen

ah jesus, dude you know what I meant!

I'll rephrase just for you then man........substitute home in my previous post for the north

dlofnep

Look - whether you like him or not, it's irrelevant. He is the head of a political party which spans the 32 counties of Ireland. As the head, he has every right to make a statement relating to the party. To tell him to feck back up the north is childish.

Dr Galen

ok for the record, I have met him a few times and on a personal note i quite liked him, so this isn't an anti-Gerry thing

i think the point that Mike is making is less to do with fecking off "up north" but more to do with how Gerry's role within politics within the Republic has been pretty limited, so really, making pronouncements and statements on the economy etc down in this neck of the woods seems a little strange to those of us less strident in our support or otherwise of SF than yourself.

Your right, he has under the constitution every right to his opinions and views etc etc, but we also have the right not to take some of these statments that seriously

spoonbadger

dlofnep wrote: »

SF would never enter Government with FG.

Fix'd yar post for ya there .

lostexpectation

mike65 wrote: »

He should feck off back up North and SF should elect a leader from the ROI for ROI business.

As for his proposition, its clearly an offer he knows will be turned down but it gets da meeja talking about SF so he's happy.

caoimhin is their southern leader thats was why i was hoping his speech was on tv, only saw mlmcd and ga

dlofnep

spoonbadger wrote: »

Fix'd yar post for ya there .

Very considerate of you. I'll bring you out for a beer sometime.

dlofnep

Mystik Monkey wrote: »

ok for the record, I have met him a few times and on a personal note i quite liked him, so this isn't an anti-Gerry thing

i think the point that Mike is making is less to do with fecking off "up north" but more to do with how Gerry's role within politics within the Republic has been pretty limited, so really, making pronouncements and statements on the economy etc down in this neck of the woods seems a little strange to those of us less strident in our support or otherwise of SF than yourself.

Your right, he has under the constitution every right to his opinions and views etc etc, but we also have the right not to take some of these statments that seriously

I don't really mind if you take it seriously or not. You're more than entitled to your opinion. I'm not going to chastise you for disagreeing with his policies or whatever. But what I will take issue with is someone telling him to feck back up north when he's the leader of a party which spans the 32 counties of Ireland. It's a childish and ignorant remark. Glad you had a positive meeting with him

Dr Galen

i don't think you should really be taking it that seriously, not as i meant it anyway. And I've no problem with saying that while on quite a few issues I have problems with SF's policies etc, others I'd broadly agree on.

Liked Big Gerry, wasn't too keen on Mary-Lou though......didn't warm to her,

anyway.........back on topic....do you think that this had a realistic chance of happening? how would it work?

blinding

It is because we have had no credible left wing alternative that the Gombeen men of FF have had a free run of this country for so long.
In a normal country when right wing parties make a disaster of running the country and are in hock to big business and to failed bankers then the alternative is to give an opportunity to the politics of the other end of the spectrum.
In the Ireland context that has to be Labour,Sinn Féin, and perhaps the greens if they wise up and ditch their present bed fellowes.

We cannot repeat the mistakes of the past and continue to allow tweedle dee and tweedle dum (Fianna Gael/Fine Fáil) to alternate which has their snouts deepest in the trough.

Though these times will be very difficult we must use this opportunity to advance the day that Ireland has a credible left wing goverment.

José Alaninho

blinding wrote: »

We cannot repeat the mistakes of the past and continue to allow tweedle dee and tweedle dum (Fianna Gael/Fine Fáil) to alternate which has their snouts deepest in the trough.

Someone watched Gerry's speech :pac:

Only messin, +1

nyarlothothep

looks like the Irish unification of 2024 may come true after all

José Alaninho

nyarlothothep wrote: »

looks like the Irish unification of 2024 may come true after all

LoL Star Trek fan? :P

dlofnep

Mystik Monkey wrote: »

i don't think you should really be taking it that seriously, not as i meant it anyway. And I've no problem with saying that while on quite a few issues I have problems with SF's policies etc, others I'd broadly agree on.

I'm not taking it seriously. I just felt the need to call him on his comment which I felt to be childish. No harm done

1huge1

dlofnep wrote: »

SF would never enter Government with FG.

And FG will never enter government with SF.

They claim that a united Ireland would have a better economy, fair enough but they are not basing that on anything, just the usual buzz words, properganda and bull**it I've come to expect from them.

dhorgan3

1huge1 wrote: »

And FG will never enter government with SF.

They claim that a united Ireland would have a better economy, fair enough but they are not basing that on anything, just the usual buzz words, properganda and bull**it I've come to expect from them.

What exactly do FG stand for, honestly? Sinn fein have their objectives clearly set out, and always have done from day one but...FG...just an "Opposition" Party who approach members of Six, the not so successful band from 'your a star' on RTE, to consider running for the local and european elections. What do ye bring to the table...ye are failures like the current government...So...let someone else come in because in all honesty they could not do a worse job then what has been done by FG & FF.

diverdriver

I'm all for getting rid of Fianna Fail, this single party has consistently run this country for the benefit of it's members and friends. Once again we see the result of their croneyism and corruption. The only amazing thing is how stupid the average voter is in constantly re-electing them.

However, the very last thing we need is an unholy alliance of the left running this country. We would rapidly turn into an Venezuela without oil and Cuba without sunshine and cigars or Castro.

The left in general is rubbing it's hands together in delight with this present crisis. That march today may at first glance seem to be genuine expression of public anger at the current crisis. But it was highly organised by the unions, who are utterly left leaning and full of officials who have a socialist agenda for this country. They will see this as their best chance since, well frankly, best chance ever to seize power. If this FF junta is toppled, we will see a heavily left wing Dail re-elected.

This would be a mistake. This won't be a 'new Labour' style government. This will be an old style socialist government. It will certainly rely on, higher taxes, nationalisation of many industries and anti capitalist policies. If you think things are bad now, watch what happens when this lot get going.

This country is in serious trouble, partly from the recession, partly from antics of the extended golden circle and FF. But also in danger from the behaviour of the sort of people likely to replace FF. The loony left who frankly are in pole position because FG has failed to impress in any form, particularly it's leader, whose charisma bypass operation was most successful. No one sees him as the man to get us out of this crisis. He is a dud.

We live in interesting times indeed!

Diogenes

The important thing to remember is not Adams desires for a united Ireland it's SFs economic policies for the South of Ireland, rather than their plans for a united Ireland. Thats pipe dream for decades rather than a current political objective. Anyone who says the economies of the North and Republic are reaching parity are deluding themselves. Northern Ireland is still massively subisidied by the British Government, and it's not like we can take on any extra economic burden.

Adams performance pre election on the Late Late show was shambolic, high on idealistic retoric and absolutely absent on pratical working solutions. In 2006 he was talking about increasing corporate tax to 30%. Ask any dog on the a limerick street in 2006, and it was a matter of when rather than if Dell were going and our corpo tax rate was the only thing keeping them here for the short term. Multinationals are flying out of this country, and the only three things that keep us remotely competitive is we're in the EU zone, a trained english speaking workforce, and a low corporation tax.

I'm not voting for SF for a variety of reasons, they're economically clueless being one of the many many good reasons.

eoinbn

dlofnep wrote: »

SF would never enter Government with FG.

From a policy PoV FG=FF. Now if I remember correctly SF were all for going into government with FF before the last election and even after it. Heck I believe, but I could be wrong, that Adams was even complaining that FG wouldn't talk to them after the election.

jpfahy

If the present Government collapses, which seems very likely sometime in the next few months as the economy worsens, then a large vacuum will be created by a collapse of the Fianna Fail and Green vote and losses for Fine Gael too. Labour and SF will fill this vacuum, make big gains and may be in a position to form a Government with the aid of some lefty independents (The likes of Richard Boyd-Barrett who will get in next time in Dun Laoghaire for example). Labour and SF are, after all, kindred spirits with common roots.
A year ago this would have been unthinkable - but then so was our economic collapse, bank nationalisation etc.
Be afraid, be very afraid..........

Dannyboy83

I would have thought aligning yourself to the Greens was suicide after what they've done.

Shows what I now.