Today FM\Labour

aodh_rua

I don't know if anyone caught Today FM's news on Friday morning. They seem to have been on an anti-Fine Gael binge. Not only did they refer repeatedly to Labour as the main opposition party, but they also called John Bruton, John Brutal at one point.

Glad to see that opinion polls now constitute fact!

Humphrey

I heard it alright and i dont think the newscaster meant to say John Brutal although it did sound like it!!

Humphrey.

Rolo Tomasi

I didnt hear the radio programme, but it does appear the media now regard Labour as the main opposition party. This may be as a result of , as you mentioned, the recent opinion poll, but also Pat Rabbite is the most vocal of opposition party leaders. Enda Kenny is not making the impression that the Fine Gael party hoped he would.

aodh_rua

Enda who? - but seriously, I think in terms of voicing an opposition Labour are the only show in town, and I suppose in realpolitik they are the opposition.

Still - I doubt RTE would refer to Labour that way. We'll just have to wait for the electorate to catch up with Today FM!

Typedef

The sad thing about Labour, is that with the government so unpopular, Labour still cling to 1970's raise taxes and bloat the public service ethos, that won't get them the middle class votes they need to usurp Fianna Fial.

Basically, Labour have an opportunity to steal the centre ground and are still banging out the old party line of tax and spend.

Pity Labour if it thinks that many people are going to vote to pay more tax.

In fact I had been thinking of voting Labour in the next election, until yesterday, when I heard Brendan Howlin talk about how, Labour had plans to raise taxes, if elected.

I'm very sorry, but..... my money is mine... and I intend for it to stay that way.

Rolo Tomasi

In fact I had been thinking of voting Labour in the next election, until yesterday, when I heard Brendan Howlin talk about how, Labour had plans to raise taxes, if elected.

True but at least this is a clear statement of intent. Stealth taxes anyone?

http://www.labour.ie/press/detail.tmpl?sku=20030214153323&BOLD=duncan

Captain Trips

Yeah but at least the "stealth" taxes are fees you can see where they are going, or at least, where they should be going, and you can bitch that, the extra car tax should go to making better roads, or that credit card fees should go to say improving customer service, etc., .

Personally speaking, I prefer it this way. Labour's way would be to simply take all your money so that some politicians at the top can decide who deserves your cash more (than you do, even if you worked for it).

Yeah I really trust a more closed and nanny-like government that would take *more* of my money to do *more* of the things that aren't working.

Sure, college reg fees go up, but at least it is going to paying for your education, not propping up some stupid scheme (Bertie Bowl/Jet/whatever aside) for some local Captain Planet fan.

Are people happier with lower income taxes and higher general charges? Everything costs money, probably the same amount in any case. Only I would like to be able to focus on what matters to *me*.

The high taxes and great healthcare of Norway/Sweden are great, except they are vast countries with loads of natural resources. We on the other hand, are not. Also, Norway has bazillions (yes, bazillions, even googols) of barrells of oil.

PH01

Well those smoked salmon and armchair socialists are at it again then - pretending that they're the 'real' opposition. Good at the old rhetoric those chaps.

The last time they were the 'real' opposition was under Dick Spring back in the late 80's when they were up against the evil empire under CJH. But, those were different times.

FG are they only credible opposition if they get their act together - which they're finding hard to do at the moment.

That leaves the FF backbenchers as currently the most effective opposition. Just watch what will happen when the health boards are disbanded and hospitals closed down.

Cork

The present government will need to make hard decisions with regards our health system.

Some hospitals will probably be down graded or closed.

Opposition TDs will use the re-organisation of the health system as a weapon aganist the government.

Opposition politics is pretty sad. Has either FG , Labour or the Greens put forward any worthwhile alternative policies over the last year.

FG needs Labour. & vice vearsa.

Jockeying for the leader of the opposition tag is a media non story.

Ian Duncan Smith is the Leader of the opposition in the UK.

Come the next election FG & Labour will be all friendly as the need each other.

Rolo Tomasi

Labour's way would be to simply take all your money so that some politicians at the top can decide who deserves your cash more (than you do, even if you worked for it)

Labour's way - do you have any proof of this or are you guessing that this is what would happen?

some politician at the top can decide who deserves you money more than you do - this is what every goverenment does. ()

pretending that they're the 'real' opposition

The Labour party are only still the third largest party in the land. no one has any illusions about that. Its the media that have put this spin on it, Labour have made no such claims as to be the real opposition

If any one fancies a read:

http://www.labour.ie/policy/download/broken_promises.pdf

I beliveve that its time for a change and that the Labour party should be considered a genuine alternative.

How about a government with a Labour majority. Give it a full term in office and if we're not better off (granted -a relative term) fine socialism in the form of the Labour party is not right for Ireland.[edit - I wish I could write a post without having to correct spelling mistakes

Cork

When you talk to the public - they are delighted with having to pay low taxes, their PRSs and SSIAs.

I feel the labour party always know best. When they were in government last they gave megre social welfare increases.

I won't even mention Democratic Left.

It is fine to pontificate when you are in opposition. But when you are in government you have to make choices.

The likelyhood of FG and Labour forming a government without SF, the Greens or Independents is slim.

Chaos-Engine

I think the argument that Labour needs FG to get a coalition is all non-sense. FG WILL burn after the next election and most there votes will go to PDs and Labour. I would see alot more votes going to both those parties and all the other parties in fact(except perhaps FF). This would see a larger Labour and Larger PDs. This might result in the exact same government we have now but it would spell disaster for future FF elections as they become the centre and Labour and PDs left and right repectivly. As the PDs would sustain much much more votes you would see them becoming more and more right wing socially.

Not sure which way things will head. I'll be voting Labour and Greens.
One thing is for sure though
There will be no FG party in 10 years time(at least no TDs anyway) and no coalition Labour/FG government...

aodh_rua

Originally posted by Chaos-Engine
I think the argument that Labour needs FG to get a coalition is all non-sense. FG WILL burn after the next election and most there votes will go to PDs and Labour. I would see alot more votes going to both those parties and all the other parties in fact(except perhaps FF). This would see a larger Labour and Larger PDs. This might result in the exact same government we have now but it would spell disaster for future FF elections as they become the centre and Labour and PDs left and right repectivly. As the PDs would sustain much much more votes you would see them becoming more and more right wing socially.

Not sure which way things will head. I'll be voting Labour and Greens.
One thing is for sure though
There will be no FG party in 10 years time(at least no TDs anyway) and no coalition Labour/FG government...

Interesting point - I do think that FG's recent attempts at radicalism (neutrality\waiting lists) hint at desperation and it is hard to see them being credible into the future.

I also liked your thoughts on a strong Labour, causing a strong PDs and squeezing out FF. That would be great - but unfortunately I think FF transcend the conventional notion of a political party. They remind me of a comment about the GAA still holding meetings, even if there were no more matches, I think FF would exist even if there were no more elections or voters (no-one admits to voting for them anyway)