Brendan Howlin steps down as Labour leader

super_furry

That's him for Ceann Comhairle you'd imagine and one fewer TD to take Sinn Fein and a 'left alliance' to that 80 number, but opens the door to them doing a deal as a party.

Be interesting who steps up next though Alan Kelly or Aodhán Ó Ríordáin most likely. Really like what I've seen and heard from Ó Ríordáin over the last few years and would love to see some of his drug harm reduction policies implemented.

blanch152

That was quicker than expected. It opens the door to Labour doing a deal with Sinn Fein.

bobbysands81

Good riddance. A shambles of a leader, a shambles of a politician. A so called “Labour” man presiding over the reduction of wages of all public sector workers?

BanditLuke

Champagne socialist

is_that_so

super_furry wrote: »

That's him for Ceann Comhairle you'd imagine and one fewer TD to take Sinn Fein and a 'left alliance' to that 80 number, but opens the door to them doing a deal as a party.

Be interesting who steps up next though Alan Kelly or Aodhán Ó Ríordáin most likely. Really like what I've seen and heard from Ó Ríordáin over the last few years and would love to see some of his drug harm reduction policies implemented.

Probably Kelly as the most senior of them or maybe they too want a sweeping change. O'Riordain has energy and not the negative kind.

griffin100

Kelly or Ó Ríordáin as the next leader?

That's another decade out of government for Labour.

Edgware

bobbysands81 wrote: »

Good riddance. A shambles of a leader, a shambles of a politician. A so called “Labour” man presiding over the reduction of wages of all public sector workers?

Disgraceful comment.
I'm sure you are worried about public sectors workers. When S.F. were actively supporting the bombing of civilian targets in pubs, shopping centres and the murder of census collectors, post office staff etc Brendan Howlin and the Labour Party were active in forwarding a progressive agenda on social issues, education etc

EmmetSpiceland

Anyone but Alan Kelly, please.

granturismo

BanditLuke wrote: »

Champagne socialist

More fitting description for Mary Lou, Boyd Barrett and Paul Murphy

nigeldaniel

Labour found themselves in a tough situation and I feel a bit sorry for Brendan. Not sure who will take over but I hope they take their time and plan the new leadership good a proper. Maybe an injection of youthfulness and a new image will do them good.

James Brown

Hopefully they rebuild into a left leaning party and become a viable force next election.

Auguste Comte

EmmetSpiceland wrote: »

Anyone but Alan Kelly, please.

How will the new leader be selected? Will it be a democratic process or will a cabal appoint someone against the wishes of the party membership?

Edgware

Auguste Comte wrote: »

How will the new leader be selected? Will it be a democratic process or will a cabal appoint someone against the wishes of the party membership?

You mean like the way Michelle O Neill got her job

rob316

They needed someone else he doesn't really stand out from the crowd.

blanch152

Auguste Comte wrote: »

How will the new leader be selected? Will it be a democratic process or will a cabal appoint someone against the wishes of the party membership?

What party membership?

TheValeyard

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin is an utter dose

nigeldaniel

nigeldaniel wrote: »

Labour found themselves in a tough situation and I feel a bit sorry for Brendan. Not sure who will take over but I hope they take their time and plan the new leadership good a proper. Maybe an injection of youthfulness and a new image will do them good.

a very decent man, labour's decision to sit in a recession-recovery govt will be debated for years yet but their intentions were sincere imo

that said, they have offered little or nothing since, and have not in any way rejuvenated their ranks in a period where the youth have absolutely been crying out to be involved in a left-driven alternative.

the age and profile of most of their big runners in the last election wasnt inspiring, and SF just hoovered up the voters that labour should have been fighting hard for.

he had to go, and any new leader will really have to look at the rebuild needed. picking up the phone to the socdems would be a start

is_that_so

Auguste Comte wrote: »

How will the new leader be selected? Will it be a democratic process or will a cabal appoint someone against the wishes of the party membership?

Nah they do votes.
https://www.rte.ie/news/election-2020/2020/0212/1114868-labour-party/

bmc58

bobbysands81 wrote: »

Good riddance. A shambles of a leader, a shambles of a politician. A so called “Labour” man presiding over the reduction of wages of all public sector workers?

He's rumoured to be "very interested" in the Ceann Comhairle job.The gravy train never ends.

I Am The Law

37 years of idleness, why didn't he step down before the election FFS.

is_that_so

bmc58 wrote: »

He's rumoured to be "very interested" in the Ceann Comhairle job.The gravy train never ends.

He'd be a good choice, purely on experience and he's getting paid anyway.

L1011

bmc58 wrote: »

He's rumoured to be "very interested" in the Ceann Comhairle job.The gravy train never ends.

He was very interested it in in 2011 also. Was a leas-CC for the term before it.

He would get re-elected in Wexford for the rest of his life so getting the CC role isn't that different.

Loafing Oaf

They need a leader untainted by the promise-breaking of 2011, Duncan Smith it has to be:P

I Am The Law

I Am The Law wrote: »

37 years of idleness, why didn't he step down before the election FFS.

minister for public expenditure and reform for 5 years, when it was arguably one of the most critical briefs in the country

but yeah, sure, whatever

seamus

If these guys had any sense, Labour would disband and join the Social Democrats to give them 12 seats in the Dail.

Labour is a tainted brand for a generation. Whatever they were in the 90s and 00s is lost forever. Alan Kelly always went on about leadership, but leadership of Labour is worthless at this point. They should recognise that Shorthall was right to have quit, they are the ones who backed the wrong horse.

bunderoon

blanch152 wrote: »

That was quicker than expected. It opens the door to Labour doing a deal with Sinn Fein.

He only took leadership for the pension top-up. Tis the way.

JohnnyFlash

AK47 is the man for the job.

Stewball

seamus wrote: »

If these guys had any sense, Labour would disband and join the Social Democrats to give them 12 seats in the Dail.

The LSD party.

In all seriousness, this is their only hope. Merge with the SocDems and let Roisin Shortall lead them.
Alan Kelly should f**k off and become an Independent in Tipperary.

realdanbreen

bobbysands81 wrote: »

Good riddance. A shambles of a leader, a shambles of a politician. A so called “Labour” man presiding over the reduction of wages of all public sector workers?

The man has more class than all of the ' we broke the free state ' 'up the ra' crowd put together.

lawred2

I liked Brendan really. I believe his convictions were genuinely held and he had our best interests as he saw them at heart.

But Labour should not have aligned with FG in 2011.

lawred2

Loafing Oaf wrote: »

They need a leader untainted by the promise-breaking of 2011, Duncan Smith it has to be:P

He's our local labour guy - met him a few times. He's a really nice guy.

seamus

seamus wrote: »

If these guys had any sense, Labour would disband and join the Social Democrats to give them 12 seats in the Dail.

Labour is a tainted brand for a generation. Whatever they were in the 90s and 00s is lost forever. Alan Kelly always went on about leadership, but leadership of Labour is worthless at this point. They should recognise that Shorthall was right to have quit, they are the ones who backed the wrong horse.

Nah, not really. They get their message right and they will be forgiven, imo. Howlin is a decent person, but modern politics is about glib soundbites and easy answers (Get Brexit done, Lock her up, etc). Kelly is just the man for both.

enricoh

bobbysands81 wrote: »

Good riddance. A shambles of a leader, a shambles of a politician. A so called “Labour” man presiding over the reduction of wages of all public sector workers?

Yeah bring back Bertie, the beards and the ATM gravy train that was benchmarking!

lawred2

lawred2 wrote: »

I liked Brendan really. I believe his convictions were genuinely held and he had our best interests as he saw them at heart.

But Labour should not have aligned with FG in 2011.

Easy to say now, but the country was absolutely bunched and there really wasn't the time to play party politics. They did the right thing, and got killed for it.

Always worth remembering that over 2/3rd of the bailout was to keep the state functioning. We were broke.

bmc58

I Am The Law wrote: »

37 years of idleness, why didn't he step down before the election FFS.

More money to be made yet.

lawred2

Deleted User wrote: »

Easy to say now, but the country was absolutely bunched and there really wasn't the time to play party politics. They did the right thing, and got killed for it.

Always worth remembering that over 2/3rd of the bailout was to keep the state functioning. We were broke.

not how politics works though is it

bobbysands81

Edgware wrote: »

Disgraceful comment.
I'm sure you are worried about public sectors workers. When S.F. were actively supporting the bombing of civilian targets in pubs, shopping centres and the murder of census collectors, post office staff etc Brendan Howlin and the Labour Party were active in forwarding a progressive agenda on social issues, education etc

Brendan, I’ve met you a few times and I find you one of the rudest, if not the rudest man I’ve ever met.

StupidLikeAFox

bobbysands81 wrote: »

Good riddance. A shambles of a leader, a shambles of a politician. A so called “Labour” man presiding over the reduction of wages of all public sector workers?

Labour made the mistake of promising too much in that election. The oversold the influence they would have when really no party would have had a lot of influence over what transpired. Our bailout partners were calling the shots and pain had to be inflicted to balance the books.

Note that we had less than 6 months of money left when we took the bailout. That would have meant nurses, teachers, guards having the tap turned off completely. There wasn't a single party who would have increased or even maintained PS wages during that period.

bobbysands81

realdanbreen wrote: »

The man has more class than all of the ' we broke the free state ' 'up the ra' crowd put together.

The thing is, Brendan actually DID break the country.

moceri

super_furry wrote: »

...Really like what I've seen and heard from Ó Ríordáin over the last few years and would love to see some of his drug harm reduction policies implemented.

...You mean more Nanny State to protect idiots from the consequences of their bad lifestyle choices.

StupidLikeAFox

bmc58 wrote: »

He's rumoured to be "very interested" in the Ceann Comhairle job.The gravy train never ends.

His actual words were he is "not interested" in the Ceann Comhairle job. A subtle but important difference

JohnnyFlash

bobbysands81 wrote: »

The thing is, Brendan actually DID break the country.

You’ll have to explain, Robert.

Loafing Oaf

lawred2 wrote: »

He's our local labour guy - met him a few times. He's a really nice guy.

I'm being (semi-) serious. Any Labour TD not in the Dail in 2011 could make a strong case for themselves as leader. Make the centrepiece of your campaign that Labour made a terrible mistake by making all those promises they could never deliver and you would pledge to the electorate never to do likewise again. Slam Pat Rabbitte and Eamon Gilmore for their cynicism and contempt for the voters.

Course you'd need some chutzpah to go for it, plus AFAIK another TD to nominate you...

dwmcdos

super_furry wrote: »

That's him for Ceann Comhairle you'd imagine and one fewer TD to take Sinn Fein and a 'left alliance' to that 80 number, but opens the door to them doing a deal as a party.

Be interesting who steps up next though Alan Kelly or Aodhán Ó Ríordáin most likely. Really like what I've seen and heard from Ó Ríordáin over the last few years and would love to see some of his drug harm reduction policies implemented.

Personally I think Ged Nash would be a better choice than either, he's not in the safest seat,but then what Labour TD is?

I Am The Law

Loafing Oaf wrote: »

I'm being (semi-) serious. Any Labour TD not in the Dail in 2011 could make a strong case for themselves as leader. Make the centrepiece of your campaign that Labour made a terrible mistake by making all those promises they could never deliver and you would pledge to the electorate never to do likewise again. Slam Pat Rabbitte and Eamon Gilmore for their cynicism and contempt for the voters.

Course you'd need some chutzpah to go for it, plus AFAIK another TD to nominate you...

It's bad when SIPTU severe ties 3 years ago.

osarusan

A decent fella I always thought, spoke well in public too.

But Labour are something of an irrelevance now.

They've watched other left-wing parties, and not just the rabid kind, grow and grow around them and don't seem to have learned any lessons from it at all. We may see a few TDs migrate to the SD, which would make them a party of a bit more significance also.

The overall numbers show there's an appetite for a left-wing party, but that vote is really fractured at the moment. When is the left-wing vote not fractured I suppose.

mgn

Let him off and play with a fire engine, he keeps on about putting out some fire.

ShylockWept

bobbysands81 wrote: »

Good riddance. A shambles of a leader, a shambles of a politician. A so called “Labour” man presiding over the reduction of wages of all public sector workers?

Very, very unfair comments

Brendan has been a terrific politician. He played a blinder in the department of public expenditure and protected the public sector from compulsory redundancies. He has been a reforming politician

I really hope he gets the CC job - he deserves it.

Muahahaha

seamus wrote: »

If these guys had any sense, Labour would disband and join the Social Democrats to give them 12 seats in the Dail.

Labour is a tainted brand for a generation. Whatever they were in the 90s and 00s is lost forever. Alan Kelly always went on about leadership, but leadership of Labour is worthless at this point. They should recognise that Shorthall was right to have quit, they are the ones who backed the wrong horse.

Labour TDs merging into the SocDems at this point would end up toxifying the SocDems brand and what their voters voted for. SDs had a very good election and will rightly feel they can build upon it further next time out, perhaps even targeting some of the remaining Labour seats.

Loafing Oaf wrote: »

They need a leader untainted by the promise-breaking of 2011, Duncan Smith it has to be:P

Lol Labour should give David Milliband a call, he's at a loose end :pac:

DeanAustin

ShylockWept wrote: »

Very, very unfair comments

Brendan has been a terrific politician. He played a blinder in the department of public expenditure and protected the public sector from compulsory redundancies. He has been a reforming politician

I really hope he gets the CC job - he deserves it.

Agreed on all bar the last bit because it seems he doesn't want it.

Howlin always seemed a very decent man to me. Him and Noonan did a fantastic job in my view in the years after the 2011 election and that bitter post you replied to was full of cheap shots and beneath contempt.

I will say though that Howlin did nothing for Labour as leader. Maybe they were too damaged but I watched the debates and listened to the interviews and he never struck me as a leader. I also think, and this is a terrible thing to say, that his physical stature went against him in the TV debates. It's sad to say that as it's the message that should be evaluated and not the appearance of the man but, people being people, him behind those podiums made him look like anything but a leader.

Anyway, good luck to the man. He did the country some great service and seems to be a very decent fella.

Muahahaha

Be interesting to see how the leadership contest goes. AFAIK Labour party rules are that there must be a leadership contest after every election and the only people who have votes are the elected TDs, the party members do not get a vote

Post the 2016 election there was only 7 Labour TDs elected and AK47 badly wanted to take over from Joan Burton. To do so he had to be first nominated by any other TD but he couldnt convince a single one of them. As a result Howlin got the job by default because the other TDs prevented a leadership contest simply by blocking Kellys nomination.

Anyway I'm firmly on Team Aodhan here. I think hes a bit of a muppet but I backed him at 16/1 in October after reading an article in the Phoenix that said he was quietly laying the groundwork around Leinster House with the other Labour TDs for a leadership bid after the general election. Its a triple bet in that it needed him to firstly get elected as a TD, then for Howlin to resign and now for Aodhan to run and win. Jan o'Sullivan losing her seat was a nice stroke of luck because she would have ran for leader had she been returned.

I thought it would be a straight shootout between Aodhan and AK47 but now Ged Nash has also throws his hat into the ring. Sean Sherlock, Duncan Smith and Brendan Howlin will hold the balance of power as to who wins it. Aodhan favourite at 4/9 with Nash and AK47 both on 9/4. C'mon Aodhan you muppet!