Is there a Labour Party?

Goldengirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121084234#Comment_121084234

Maybe they have 'cut and run' from offering any opposition, the snowflakes!

Archduke Franz Ferdinand

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121087712#Comment_121087712

I do remember and so do the electorate…hence labours problem

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121087725#Comment_121087725

You implied that Liz McManus was part of the 2011-16 Government.

Her retirement in 2011 resulted in, erm, another Labour TD taking her seat so even if you try spin that she was part of an overall downfall you're still missing the mark.

Archduke Franz Ferdinand

Her secretary took her seat, l remember her husband John mc manus trying in vain for many years trying to win a seat as a member of the workers party. I also remember Liz in Government elected on the “red tide” . In Wicklow there was a very diligent and hard working TD , Liam Kavanagh, actually elected mostly on a rural vote. She wasn’t fit to tie his boots. Before him, Jim Everett, his uncle. Labour threw away a long history in Wicklow by abandoning the people who elected them, that includes Liz McManus.

Goldengirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121084383#Comment_121084383

Sinn Féin need to field adequate candidates in every constituency. There are many people, young and old who would not want to vote for some of the illiterati that they put forward the last few times, ever.

Its like they have a few stars but the others are remnants of the anti water / anti everything but unable to talk about anything else crowd.

Goldengirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121084445#Comment_121084445

Yeah, AEyore Riordain is a complete pvllock!

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121087772#Comment_121087772

They need to replace headcase TDs in a few constituencies before they field extras too. Current selection of LE24 candidates suggests they are still selecting headcases.

Danzy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121087725#Comment_121087725

The electorate always forget over time.

Labour's problem is that it has hardly any activists to rebuild, that's the main reason it is dying out as a party.

There will be a handful of labour TDs for years to come but that will be because of family name, clique built around a candidate etc.

Goldengirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121087799#Comment_121087799

Absolutely. Headcases indeed

Some you would cross the road to avoid, they are so dodgy, and leery eyed, never mind vote for them to run the country.

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121087830#Comment_121087830

My local SF TD was booted out, as a sitting councillor, on count 1 in 2019. That is almost unheard of; but somehow got in as a TD less than a year later.

Did nothing, totally anonymous except for some absolute hatstand social media stuff (supporting Gemtrails after everyone knew she was cracked, for instance) during an entire council term and they're doing exactly the same now they're a TD.

Goldengirl

They know who cuts it with the electorate.. Smart, fast and clever like Eoin O'Broin and Louise O Reilly . If they were all like them, I would be tempted myself, I must admit

Some of the others are just loyal yes men from the old days and it does remind people with a shiver of what they used to be.. And who might be really in charge.

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121087843#Comment_121087843

As mentioned way earlier, O Broin and McDonald have both have significant health issues in the past few months which is having a significantly negative impact on SFs media presence. Disgustingly bad luck to have one senior rep laid up for a period of time let alone two.

Danzy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121087836#Comment_121087836

The difference between that person and labour is that they have a party org. locally to back them rather than a few pensioners.

Goldengirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121087820#Comment_121087820

Some great young Labour councillors coming up..

Goldengirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121087850#Comment_121087850

Yep although saw him back on tv on a debate and he looked and sounded ok. Might have to row back a bit though, poor guy.

Thought MaryLou just had gynae issues.. Is it more serious?

jmcc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121087772#Comment_121087772

Do you have any idea of the negative impression that your use of the word "illiterati" creates in those reading your post? It is certainly not the way to win support or votes for Labour.

Regards...jmcc

Annasopra

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121087867#Comment_121087867

What? Someone's random posts about SF will affect how people will vote for Labour?

Goldengirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121087794#Comment_121087794

I think if you are going to join the spelling police you should get the spelling of ILLITERATI correct, don't you?

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121087858#Comment_121087858

In that TDs situation she has no local org behind her - there isn't even an obvious candidate for the next locals - but does have lots of professionally delivered flyers.

Result of that was getting booted out on count one for doing nothing other than spam letterboxes along with takeaway menus; then ride a wave back in.

They need someone else to be taken seriously but the Mayo cockup shows that they'll select anyone who asks for it rather than find good candidates.

jmcc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121087820#Comment_121087820

Labour TDs are almost completely dependent on their personal vote. Some of that personal vote will be lost when Labour TDs retire. The seat projections from various opinion polls are projecting anything from a total wipeout to Labour retaining two seats.

Regards...jmcc

jmcc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121087873#Comment_121087873

Given how rare Labour supporters are in the wild, the post might be the only time some people will see a post from a Labour supporter. Insulting the representatives another party with such a term may create a negative response. That negative response could be a lost vote for a Labour candidate. Labour needs all the votes it can get to survive.

Regards...jmcc

Goldengirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121087867#Comment_121087867

Lol who's trying to win votes?

I never correct others for spelling mistakes online. Fat finger syndrome, reduced eyesight and autocorrect are my biggest downfall myself and I am constantly editing my posts before and after they are up correcting

If you read the exchange I was talking about those being put forward as candidates, not other posters. The poster I replied to was having a pop at me over an autocorrect on a minor word which I was editing out as he was posting.

Irony is lost on some though.

Do you not think that any candidate should be able to speak for what they believe us their party's mission and ethos in a civil and coherent manner.

As regards Labour, i am one of your floating voters and will decide closer to the time depending on whichever candidate and the party that impresses me.

gormdubhgorm

I was just curious for people who voted Labour in the past, where would your vote go? I was trying to think back how I voted the last GE.

If there was a decent choice in my constituency I would definitely have voted independent but there is not, anymore. I am not sure I can even remember my top 3 last election (which probably says a lot) - but I was hoping for a coalition of Labour - Greens - FG. So for the first time in my life I voted FG.

Couldn't bring myself to vote for FF or SF for various reasons - most of them obvious.

There was an ex-Labour fella with the SD - I might have thrown him a lower preference even though is just as wooden as the Labour candidate was/is.

Both of them the (SD fella and the Labour fella) are like 'cardboard cut out' politicians IMO. The fella who ran for the Greens was in real hard luck in fairness to him, seems to work hard.

But there was only one SF candidate in the constituency could easily have carried another with her, maybe even two. Most of her votes came from the working class area where is was from.

But it is amazing how SF manage to get such a big vote out in fairness to them, it is what it is all about, Labour seem to do the opposite.

With the new constituencies coming SF will likely do even better and Labour worse?

Danzy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121087880#Comment_121087880

Exactly, parties don't die. They fade away. Labour is now a collective of old soldiers and their families/cliques.

They are relying on a personal vote and personal loyalty, loyal to the labour brand but largely independent of it.

Even those are in trouble because their local party org is usually the wrong side of 75. Not an age noted for stepping up the hardwork and late nights canvassing In winter.

jmcc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121087927#Comment_121087927

Amazing how many floating voters there are these days.

Having local representatives parrot the various policies of a party as dictated by the party HQ might be fine for Labour (you may remember its rather Stalinist "democratic centralism" introduced by the Stickes who took over the party and wrecked it) but most successful local representatives help people. The more they help, the more votes they may get. It is a form of clientelism but it is part of the political system.

Regards...jmcc

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121087952#Comment_121087952

Which party do you believe has reps that don't support party policy, exactly?

I know of a local rep who only parrots party policy and does absolutely nothing to help local people. She's an SF front bencher. If there's a party I would identify with parroting HQ policy and doing nothing, its SF - all over the entire country.

I wouldn't identify any other party as ever having had both of those traits at once, other than SF. My local FG TD does no comms other than reposting party stuff but does plenty of client work. My local Green councillor does plenty of client work but is basically anonymous and does not align with party policy

jmcc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121087971#Comment_121087971

An SF frontbencher is unlikely to be a local representative since the dual mandate was eliminated in 2003 by FF.

Regards...jmcc

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121087980#Comment_121087980

Your pedantry appears to have as few bounds as your revisionism

satguy

We all remember what Labour did last time they sat at a Government Cabinet Table.

Joan with her smug face, as she sold all the people that voted Labour down the road. She said it was for our own good,, But when the next GE came around, we slaughtered them.

Danzy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121087971#Comment_121087971

Maybe that is so, who knows, they are just coasting on a strong and active local party.

It just proves the point of how screwed Labour are.

Labour will never see 10 TDs again and 5 might will be a stretch target in the next election.