Sinn Féin is now the second most popular party in the Republic, according to the latest Irish Times /Ipsos MRBI poll. Sinn Féin is narrowly ahead of the Labour Party and Fianna Fáil, with the party attracting almost the same support as Mr McGuinness. When people were asked who they would vote for if a general election were […]
Posts Tagged ‘Ireland’
OrangeFest 2011: it’s still about hating Taigs
Jul 12th, 2011 by David Osler.Suppose the Afrikaner Weerstandbeweging decided to organise a comeback gig in the shape of a white supremacist rally in Soweto. Naturally, the South African government would be concerned about the potential for public disorder. So would the best solution be to market the event as a touchy-feely, all-inclusive, fun day out for all the family? […]
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Labour must oppose the Greek “bail-out” and support the dismantling of the Euro
Jun 22nd, 2011 by Jon Lansman.Opinion within Labour appears to be moving on the Greek “bail-out”. First, Ed Balls contemplates working with eurosceptic Tory MPs to oppose the use of British cash to fund the bail-out. Not quite principled opposition to the bail-out itself, and not surprising therefore that he was accused of opportunism. Then this week Jack Straw, always […]
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It’s Political Union or Eurozone breakup. There’s no middle way
Apr 9th, 2011 by Michael Meacher.For the third time in a row – Greece, Ireland and now Portugal – the continuing Eurozone crisis is being handled badly. A Portuguese bail-out will shortly be arranged among the EU countries, but in practice dominated by the conditions laid down by the most powerful country, Germany. This may seem reasonable given that Germany […]
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Irish Labour defy voters to help Fine Gael implement Fianna Fail austerity programme
Mar 7th, 2011 by Andy Newman.Having ridden to power on the back of Fianna Fail’s unpopularity, the new Irish government is promising more of the same. Buried away as a throwaway line at page 16 of the 64 page coalition agreement it says: We believe it is appropriate, in order to enhance international credibility, to stick to the aggregate adjustment […]
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Union calls on Irish Labour to lead opposition
Feb 28th, 2011 by Jon Lansman.Coalition talks are about to take place between Fine Gael and the Irish Labour Party on forming a government, as counting continues to allocate the last remaining seats following the Irish general election. However, the Unite trade union has called on the Irish Labour Party to resist the lure of coalition with Fine Gael, and […]
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Irish Labour’s desperate gamble
Feb 28th, 2011 by Andy Newman.As Fine Gael is set to form the next government of the Irish Republic, it is tempting to see the General Election as following the typical pattern of politics in the 26 counties, with power alternating between two conservative parties; Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. But the voting figures show a more complex pattern, with a drop […]
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What are Sinn Fein’s prospects?
Jan 30th, 2011 by Andy Newman.I have been criticised by commenters at Left Futures, here and here, for saying that Fine Gail and Labour had effectively colluded in allowing the outgoing Fianna Fail government the opportunity to pass its budget. My critics point out that Labour and Fine Gail both voted against the Finance Bill. However, although they voted against, they did allow the Finance Bill […]
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Irish Labour Party blowing it
Jan 25th, 2011 by Andy Newman.The agreement of the Irish opposition parties (Fine Gael, Labour, and the Greens who have just left the government) to vote through the Finance Bill before calling a General Election is scandalous. The current government has lost all legitimacy, and passing this austerity bill is an attempt to bind the incoming government, and thus thwart the […]
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Follow the Irish – ban bankers’ bonuses
Dec 16th, 2010 by Michael Meacher.Osborne is right : we should follow the Irish example. Admittedly he’s rather less keen nowadays to proffer his advice that the right path to success is to pursue the Celtic Tiger’s route of massively cutting Corporation Tax, subsidising a colossal building boom, and letting the markets run riot and inequalities balloon. But perhaps he should […]
