McKenna To Quit Greens

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06/05/2009, 3:53 PM
Mr A

McKenna To Quit Greens

Quote:

Former MEP Patricia McKenna has confirmed she is to quit the Green Party and run in the forthcoming European elections as an Independent candidate.

Ms McKenna said she took the decision to leave the party because of its performance in government.

In an interview with Hot Press magazine, to be published tomorrow, she brands her Green Party colleagues in the D�il as �nothing but hypocrites�.

�I feel embarrassed about being a member of the Green Party because of what we said in the past and the promises we made, which we failed to deliver on,� she said. �I just knew that I couldn�t run under a Green Party ticket and pretend that everything was alright because I�d be lying.�

Full story

Always considered her to be a shrill, whinging nutcase.
06/05/2009, 3:54 PM
pete

I don't like her but can't explain why.

I wouldn't say she was incorrect about Green colleagues but surely she accept the democracy of the party?
06/05/2009, 4:28 PM
Ringo

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr A

Full story

Always considered her to be a shrill, whinging nutcase.

Just jumping ship before the election. Rats deserting the sinking ship. If she felt that strongly she should have left earlier.
06/05/2009, 4:34 PM
mypost

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr A

Always considered her to be a shrill, whinging nutcase.

Is she wrong? :confused:
06/05/2009, 4:36 PM
Sunny Jim

She's never happy. She always reminds me of Millie Tant from Viz for some reason.
06/05/2009, 4:41 PM
John83

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ringo

Just jumping ship before the election. Rats deserting the sinking ship. If she felt that strongly she should have left earlier.

She has been openly critical for a while now, I think. That said, she seems like the embodyment of one of the biggest criticisms of the Green Party - she has a platform to whinge about when in the opposition, but she's not able to contribute much to a government.
06/05/2009, 4:48 PM
Sheridan

If she'd wanted to belong to a party pursuing Fianna F�il policies, she would have joined Fianna F�il (or Fine Gael.)
06/05/2009, 4:48 PM
mypost

She voted against them going into coalition, and was crying after the result was announced. Her days were numbered after that.
06/05/2009, 11:14 PM
OneRedArmy

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ringo

Just jumping ship before the election. Rats deserting the sinking ship. If she felt that strongly she should have left earlier.

Jumping a ship that's actually polling pretty much exactly where they were, if not a bit better, than at the last election?:confused:
07/05/2009, 5:45 AM
Ringo

Quote:

Originally Posted by OneRedArmy

Jumping a ship that's actually polling pretty much exactly where they were, if not a bit better, than at the last election?:confused:

only one poll counts

Quote:

Green Party European election candidate, Senator D�irdre de B�rca, said she was not surprised that Ms McKenna had decided to quit the party. �The pity about Patricia McKenna�s move is that she did not do it at least a year ago and spare herself and her party colleagues a lot of time-wasting and strife. It has been increasingly clear that she does not share the same views on many issues with Green Party members,� she said. Ms de B�rca said Ms McKenna had for a long time offered little beyond constant criticisms which were designed to undermine her colleagues.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...246059470.html
07/05/2009, 7:50 AM
Macy

Quote:

Originally Posted by OneRedArmy

Jumping a ship that's actually polling pretty much exactly where they were, if not a bit better, than at the last election?:confused:

That's the national figures though, it appears that the local figures where they actually have TD's are down and if Labour/ FG do as well as the polls suggest they'll be screwed on transfers. The local elections will tell a lot on how the Green vote is actually holding up. Boyle was on Morning Ireland trying to do the old FF trick of being in opposition whilst in Government when it came to transfers...
07/05/2009, 8:49 AM
Lionel Ritchie

Quote:

Originally Posted by pete

I don't like her but can't explain why.

I wouldn't say she was incorrect about Green colleagues but surely she accept the democracy of the party?

I've always liked her but can't explain why.:D

I disagree with her about Lisbon as I do sometimes about other things but I've always liked her.

I think she's either politically very naive about the Greens entering government (you can have the best policies and principles out there -but what's the point if you don't avail of opportunities to try and implement them to the greatest extent possible?) OR she genuinely felt it was bad tactics and that the Greens needed to wait til they were numerically stronger and, crucially, til FF or whoever else were weaker and really, really needed the greens on board.

I will say this pertaining to her and Lisbon. There are many on the yes side of the Lisbon debate whose background and ideology I dislike but She is absolutely the one and only person on the No side I'd trust as far as I could throw.
07/05/2009, 10:51 AM
pete

I alwasy got the impression she was one of those politicians who was always complaining about the EU yet was dependent on it for her job. A bit like SF in that respect.
07/05/2009, 11:21 AM
Macy

Quote:

Originally Posted by pete

I alwasy got the impression she was one of those politicians who was always complaining about the EU yet was dependent on it for her job. A bit like SF in that respect.

Well you can be in favour in principle without liking the way somethings implemented. At least she's been consistent - the party she's just left have been against every single EU treaty until Lisbon. Her position hasn't shifted, it's the party that have moved.
07/05/2009, 1:08 PM
Bald Student

Quote:

Originally Posted by Macy

Well you can be in favour in principle without liking the way somethings implemented. At least she's been consistent - the party she's just left have been against every single EU treaty until Lisbon. Her position hasn't shifted, it's the party that have moved.

A lot of the green policies were completely loopy and needed to change. I think it's inevitable that they'd leave some people behind.
07/05/2009, 1:10 PM
Mr A

Yeah this after all is a party who had to admit that their economic policy was 'aspirational' in the run up to a general election. Not even they thought it made sense.
07/05/2009, 1:16 PM
Bald Student

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr A

Yeah this after all is a party who had to admit that their economic policy was 'aspirational' in the run up to a general election. Not even they thought it made sense.

At least they admitted it, that puts them a step above the others.
07/05/2009, 1:34 PM
bennocelt

I always like P Mckenna, and dont know why so many dislike her on this site
She is honest, I agree with a lot of policies, and she seems like a fair minded person
jesus she is a millions miles away from 90% of the shower in the dail

and that Boyle fella for the Greens is a complete joke - if he can be a TD (he lost his seat last time round - didnt he?!) then ANYONE can
07/05/2009, 2:16 PM
pete

Quote:

Originally Posted by bennocelt

and that Boyle fella for the Greens is a complete joke - if he can be a TD (he lost his seat last time round - didnt he?!) then ANYONE can

Going slightly off topic but his career was dead if the Greens did not get into government. I the Green leadership wanted to go into government it was shrewd to put him in the negotiating panel.
07/05/2009, 8:17 PM
Ash

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr A

Always considered her to be a shrill, whinging nutcase.

I think she used to be an Art teacher in my old school
08/05/2009, 8:24 AM
Macy

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bald Student

A lot of the green policies were completely loopy and needed to change. I think it's inevitable that they'd leave some people behind.

They're a niche party though, so if they're not different whats the point? He's a gobdaw, but Herr McDowell was right - small parties have to be radical or they become redundant.
08/05/2009, 8:43 AM
Mr A

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ash

I think she used to be an Art teacher in my old school

Point proven.

All art teachers are clinically insane.
08/05/2009, 11:47 AM
John83

Quote:

Originally Posted by Macy

They're a niche party though, so if they're not different whats the point? He's a gobdaw, but Herr McDowell was right - small parties have to be radical or they become redundant.

There's radical and there's internally consistent. Bald Student used to be fond of quoting two Green Party policies - opposition to high density housing and opposition to long distance commuting. Short of living in a planned society, you can't really have both.

I'm always amused by how little they understand power generation. Most of them seem to think you can run the national grid using wind farms and solar power alone, ignoring the huge storage issues involved in that - the sun and the wind don't suddenly pick up at half time in an Ireland game.
08/05/2009, 12:56 PM
Bald Student

Quote:

Originally Posted by John83

There's radical and there's internally consistent. Bald Student used to be fond of quoting two Green Party policies - opposition to high density housing and opposition to long distance commuting. Short of living in a planned society, you can't really have both.

Another good one from their last manifesto; they were in favour of more wind turbines but opposed to any new electric pylons in rural areas.

Aside from the inconsistencies, there are also consistently loopy policies, like favouring homoeopathy over real medicine, which they were always going to have to drop if they wanted to enter government.

Macy's correct in what he says; now that the greens are in power, Jim Corr has no one to vote for. I don't see that as necessarily a bad thing.