Motion of no confidence in Gilmore

Lockstep

So the Labour Parliamentary Party are submitting a motion of no-confidence in Gilmore.

Bound to happen really, after Labour's poor showing in the local and European elections. Even more than their performance in government, Gilmore's arrogance really seems to turn off the electorate.

Source

Conmaicne Mara

How unsafe is he all the same considering anyone taking over that party now has a GE to fight in the next two years, will they leave him be and cross every appendage possible to see if things will pick up before a GE.

Sierra Oscar

We could be facing a general election soon if this leadership heave is not a 'clean' one so to speak. There seems to be a complete generational divide in the Labour party.

michael999999

I'd expect one for Michael martin before the end of the week!

galwayredgirl

Lockstep wrote: »

So the Labour Parliamentary Party are submitting a motion of no-confidence in Gilmore.
Source

About time too! :mad:

_Kaiser_

Sierra Oscar wrote: »

We could be facing a general election soon if this leadership heave is not a 'clean' one so to speak. There seems to be a complete generational divide in the Labour party.

Can't see it getting that far cause in the end, the vast majority are in it for the money and the retirement plan. Labour know they haven't a hope if it goes to a GE and they aren't ready to get off the gravy train yet considering how close a lot of them are to retirement age anyway.

Look at how they've "betrayed" their core "principals" and voters in the 3 years so far and yet there hasn't been a peep out of the rest of the party until just after lots of them have lost their own seat on the train.

This has nothing to do with heaves or principals and it's certainly nothing to do with serving the best interests of the electorate

RobertKK

The problem for the Labour party is where the leadership has come from.

When the Soviet Union was falling apart, a number of people in the workers party saw the writing on the wall, and looked for an exit before they ended up non existent like the Soviet Union, so Democratic Left was formed.

Wanting power they went into the rainbow government, and knowing they were too small, they looked to join the Labour Party.
They got into the Labour party and took it over.

Eamon Gilmore comes from a background that supported Stalinism, Kim Il Sung, Mao and other undesirables.

The transformation from Workers party to Labour leader was driven by the quest for power, this is why we got slogans of 'Gilmore for Taoiseach'. This is why we got lies, it was to gain power.
Now all the chickens have finally come home to roost for Gilmore and Labour need to elect someone not associated with the workers party to lead them, someone less focused on power and more on the people.

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

Lockstep

Apparently he's resigning at 4pm today.

c_man

Lockstep wrote: »

Apparently he's resigning at 4pm today.

Where did you hear that?

michael999999

c_man wrote: »

Where did you hear that?

Kieran mollooly of RTE just tweeted it

Sierra Oscar

Looks to be a clean heave, Gilmore expected to resign.

Larbre34

Sierra Oscar wrote: »

Looks to be a clean heave, Gilmore expected to resign.

Yeah ive heard it around the remaining counts today, no harm, things are bad enough without an unseemly fight. Wonder if Quinn will go with him. Hes done it all, why bother with the hassle.

Manach

Interesting times. So if there is no turnaround for the next GE, who will they get to fall on their sword.

_Kaiser_

Confirmed by BreakingNews

Eamon Gilmore is due to make a statement at 4pm, amid widespread rumours of his impending resignation.

Larbre34

Manach wrote: »

Interesting times. So if there is no turnaround for the next GE, who will they get to fall on their sword.

I think that effectively taken care of today. Nobody will expect any upturn in fortunes by 2016, theyll just have to do their penance and re-evaluate for a couple of elections hence.

BTW Joan Burton was director of elections, surely some complicity there? No I dont think so either....

Reformed Character

Don't expect a clean coronation for "Team Joan" she is not that popular with many of her colleagues in the Dail.

Riskymove

Sweeping change......Alex White

Sierra Oscar

I wouldn't to so sure that Joan will be the next leader. I would bet on Alex White or Aodhán Ó Ríordáin.

_Kaiser_

Gilmore resigning but staying put until a successor is decided on by the party (within the current Dail term - how long is that?). Lots of waffle about putting the country first etc

This is intersting though (if true!):

26/05/2014 - 16:02:39
Back to Ireland Home

Enda Kenny has said he is aware that Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore is about to make a statement, but said he does not know what is in that statement. It is strongly rumoured that Eamon Gilmore is set to resign.

Enda Kenny: "I've heard the Tánaiste is making a statement. I don't know what's in that statement."

Loafing Oaf

Kaiser2000 wrote: »

Gilmore resigning but staying put until a successor is decided on by the party (within the current Dail term - how long is that?). Lots of waffle about putting the country first etc

This is intersting though (if true!):

Well even if he did know Gilmore was resigning he's hardly going to pre-empt the announcement is he? Speculation on NT this morning of Howlin as an expressly caretaker leader until the next GE, rationale being he'd be much more adept at keeping the show on the road than Moan. His odds seem to have come in dramatically at any rate. I think Rabbitte and Quinn will have to leave the front bench too if there's going to be any redemption with the electorate...

jos28

Riskymove wrote: »

Sweeping change......Alex White

Good call, I'd agree with that choice for new leader

nice_guy80

Luckily no golden handshakes for these ministers.

Quinn has done nothing but waffle about reform of education, but actually just kept making cuts (as advised by his 6 advisors, no doubt)

Rabbitte appears to me to have been on the winddown for the past few years to retirement anyway

hatrickpatrick

Can someone change the thread title to "Eamonn Gilmore resigns as Labour leader"?

I didn't catch the whole Q&A, reception issues - did he specify whether he's resigning his post as Tanaiste and / or minister?

jank

Would not be getting too excited about a GE soon. This government will roll onto 2016.

Riskymove

He said that Ministerial portfolios were a matter for his replacement so presumably he stays as Minister until then

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

mikom

Pat Rabbitte's broadcast charge will be put on hold I reckon.

Amirani

Mr.Micro

Labour have no choice, but to stick it out, no matter who is the new leader. The rotten Greens were wiped out, even after they left the last rotten Government. So Labour will need to reflect on history.

Godge

Sierra Oscar wrote: »

I wouldn't to so sure that Joan will be the next leader. I would bet on Alex White or Aodhán Ó Ríordáin.

Cannot see Joan Burton (65) as leader, too old. Rabbitte (65) and Quinn (68) are also too old, all three could be finished as Ministers.

Howlin is 58, he could be leader, keep Gilmore (59) on as Foreign Minister for continuity in cabinet (and to keep Gilmore supporters happy) and have three to promote as new faces.

Mr.Micro

Godge wrote: »

Cannot see Joan Burton (65) as leader, too old. Rabbitte (65) and Quinn (68) are also too old, all three could be finished as Ministers.

Howlin is 58, he could be leader, keep Gilmore (59) on as Foreign Minister for continuity in cabinet (and to keep Gilmore supporters happy) and have three to promote as new faces.

Not sure if Howlin, would be seen as progressive enough, safe perhaps?

Godge

Mr.Micro wrote: »

Not sure if Howlin, would be seen as progressive enough, safe perhaps?

You may be right but Howlin as Minister for Public Expenditure probably has the best grasp of what is possible in terms of sweeteners for the public.

ardmacha

Godge wrote: »

You may be right but Howlin as Minister for Public Expenditure probably has the best grasp of what is possible in terms of sweeteners for the public.

He is supposed to be Minster of Public Expenditure and Reform. |He clearly knows nothing about reform, so it must be public expenditure where his talents lie.

Ravenid

Howlin could be the best choice but I can see Labour going for a younger generation again.

They are really looking for a new leader from a younger group (Which has been their mantra since the first rumblings of Gilmore leaving started.) and that's gonna rule him out.

Even though Howlin is probably the best option (He has experience, Has been in a Ministry which has been more or less in the center of Government for the last few years, Has kept his nose relatively clean.) He's still gonna be considered as part of the old guard and that's going to taint him.

Which is a pity I have to say. Labour isn't going to be in gov after the next election, we can all agree on that. If I was picking and choosing for them I have Howlin as the leader then let him start re-building the party with the next gen from there. Aiming for the next round of local and then the general elections after that.

Start rebuilding now before the other parties do. But keep some of the "Good" experience. You know don't throw babies out with bathwater or something like that.

Radiosonde

Labour leader is elected by the broader party membership, right? I wonder if the new leader will attempt to renegotiate the programme for government, as the Greens attempted with FF before eventually pulling out.

Smash The House

I can't see them giving leader to any labour td who was first elected in 2011. I'm going to guess Ciaran Lynch...(brother in law to Kathleen). He polled second highest in 2011 in Cork South Central below Michael Martin. They certainly don't want to give it to someone who could lose their seat in the next GE. Joan was never in the equation imo

EDIT: Also Alan Kelly who happened to be standing right behind to the right of Gilmore today during his announcement . Kelly has been a Senator, got elected to the EP in 2009 and Dail Eireann in 2011.

Nodin

Godge wrote: »

Cannot see Joan Burton (65) as leader, too old. Rabbitte (65) and Quinn (68) are also too old, all three could be finished as Ministers.

Howlin is 58, he could be leader, keep Gilmore (59) on as Foreign Minister for continuity in cabinet (and to keep Gilmore supporters happy) and have three to promote as new faces.

The bookies strongly disagree with that assesment
http://www.paddypower.com/bet/politics/other-politics/irish-politics?ev_oc_grp_ids=594283

_Kaiser_

Godge wrote: »

You may be right but Howlin as Minister for Public Expenditure probably has the best grasp of what is possible in terms of sweeteners for the public.

I think you overstate his importance really - or any of them for that matter.

Howlin only knows what's presented to him with whatever recommendations come with it. The same data can just as easily be presented to whoever inhabits his office next.

That is why all this shuffling at the "top" matters little except as fodder for the media and optics for the electorate/peasants (delete as applicable).

comongethappy

Burton may be 65, but she isn't on a walking frame.

I don't think she is too old.

Manach

The party might try and capitalise in the disenchantment with the current leadership and opt for a younger generation. Aodhán Ó Ríordáin from what I've heard is popular with the more progressive wing of academic elements, how well this relates to the voters I'm not too sure. Sherlock, has been rather quiet of late but on the one hand the tech sector is a bright element in industry, but from his handling of the Digital rights elements of his tenure he has sacrificed goodwill from that element of the more tech-savy elements.

Scofflaw

John Gormley article from a year ago on what would happen to Gilmore: http://www.villagemagazine.ie/index.php/2014/05/hopeless-labour-ignores-hard-earned-rules/

Pretty much a checklist for the leader of a junior coalition partner in bad times:

Éamon Gilmore will not lead Labour into the next General election, if this government goes full term. That’s a racing certainty. Go down to Paddy Power right now while the odds are still reasonable, and it’ll be the easiest bet you’ll ever win.

How can I be so sure? Well, you see, I know a little bit about leading the junior party in an unpopular administration, and I’ve still got the scars to prove it. You learn very quickly that there are certain iron rules in politics – some of them pretty obvious. Here they are, not necessarily in order of importance. Labour party rank and file please take note.

Rule one: Taking money out of people’s pockets makes you unpopular.

Rule two: You won’t prevent your unpopularity by introducing enlightened measures, like constitutional reform. It just doesn’t cut it. In fact, the electorate will resent you for messing around on such niceties while they’re suffering from cutbacks.

Rule three: Society needs scapegoats.

Rule four: The junior party in a coalition makes a good scapegoat. They’re always guaranteed a kicking.

Rule five: The voters of ideologically-driven parties have higher expectations ie they are more easily disappointed.

Rule six: The longer you stay in government the more unpopular you’re going to get, especially if this recession continues. And it will.

Rule seven: The leader makes a very good scapegoat.

Rule eight: Changing your leader will not make a blind bit of difference

Rule nine: But the junior party will do it anyway.

cordially,
Scofflaw

Harry Angstrom

Godge wrote: »

Cannot see Joan Burton (65) as leader, too old. Rabbitte (65) and Quinn (68) are also too old, all three could be finished as Ministers.

Joan Burton is probably the least despised member of the Labour Party at the moment. I think she'll lead Labour into the next general election.

Quinn and Rabbitte have already been leaders of the party so they can be readily dismissed.