Beecher Networks - Web Development, Hosting & Domains
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 32

Thread: Will Labour be found out in a general election??

  1. #1
    Banned Lim till i die's Avatar
    Joined
    Mar 2004
    Location
    Limerick
    Posts
    8,156
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    114
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    1,385
    Thanked in
    644 Posts

    Will Labour be found out in a general election??

    Nobody, themselves included, is quite sure what they believe in.

    They ran an absolute buffon of a man in the by election.

    Recent moves heading into an election have included walking over the local organisation in Kerry to run an ex Anglo banker Spring in a piece of slieveenism that would make Fianna Fail proud and now the rumoured courting of Davy Fitz to run in Clare.

    Just what the dail needs, another GAA publican with a shortage of grey matter.

    Thanks to the likes of Vlad the terrible we all have a fair idea that Fine Gael are evil but will Labours flakiness and really quite horrifying selection choices ensure that the Gilmore Gale is just a gust of hot air??

    Discuss the issues.

  2. #2
    International Prospect bennocelt's Avatar
    Joined
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Basel (Allschwil)
    Posts
    5,829
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    4,823
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    436
    Thanked in
    335 Posts
    Well I thought labour did an amazing u turn in the Lisbon treaty - "respecting the will of the people" and all that guff, so can they be trusted?

  3. #3
    Seasoned Pro OneRedArmy's Avatar
    Joined
    Aug 2004
    Location
    London-Derry-Dublin
    Posts
    4,893
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    84
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    140
    Thanked in
    82 Posts
    Gilmore is lacking in substance, but given a credible alternative is hardly likely to emerge before the election, we'll be getting a FG-Labour coalition (unless Inda REALLY implodes).

    I'm not hugely impressed by what I see, but when compared with FF, Labour look like Aung Sang Sun Kyi, MLK & Gandhi rolled into one.

  4. #4
    Coach John83's Avatar
    Joined
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Dublin
    Posts
    8,624
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    1,950
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    1,148
    Thanked in
    711 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by OneRedArmy View Post
    ...I'm not hugely impressed by what I see, but when compared with FF, Labour look like Aung Sang Sun Kyi...
    They seem to have spent the last couple of decades doing nothing of note?

  5. #5
    Capped Player
    Joined
    Apr 2005
    Posts
    15,261
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    1,726
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    2,794
    Thanked in
    1,912 Posts
    The combined, Labour and FG opposition could not win the absolute banker bet of parliamentary votes of confidence this country has ever seen, against a tiny majority coalition government with an unintelligible overweight slob as leader and EU Banker agent-provocateur as Finance Minister, who both presided over a babble of elected buffoons that constitute the bulk of the FF parl party, who all combined - directed the most self-destructive economic policy (over a period of two years) the western world has ever seen done by a sovereign republic in peacetime.

    I don't rate Labour and would not be surprised in the least if they repeatedly shot themselves in the foot in this upcoming election campaign.

  6. #6
    Director dahamsta's Avatar
    Joined
    May 2001
    Location
    The Internet
    Posts
    13,975
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    481
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    805
    Thanked in
    500 Posts
    It's very sad that we have to reach so far for any confidence at all in the opposition in light of the gross incompetence of the incumbents.

  7. Thanks From:


  8. #7
    Now with extra sauce! Dodge's Avatar
    Joined
    Jun 2001
    Location
    Insomnia
    Posts
    23,529
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    663
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    2,676
    Thanked in
    1,454 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by geysir View Post
    The combined, Labour and FG opposition could not win the absolute banker bet of parliamentary votes of confidence this country has ever seen,.
    What do you expecty them to do, magic up TDs? Or magic up a clue for the Jackie Healys and Michael lowrys of th world? Whatever about their shortcomings, losing parliamentary votes sisn't one of them
    54,321 sold - wws will never die - ***
    ---
    New blog if anyone's interested - http://loihistory.wordpress.com/
    LOI section on balls.ie - http://balls.ie/league-of-ireland/

  9. Thanks From:


  10. #8
    Like the Fonz. Only a dog. Mr A's Avatar
    Joined
    Jun 2004
    Location
    In the gutter, but looking at the stars
    Posts
    11,479
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    1,729
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    3,309
    Thanked in
    1,522 Posts
    The biggest thing in Labours favour in my opinion is that they had the balls to vote against the bank guarantee in the face of massive pressure to back it in the national interest. People can say that Labour lack substance- but on the most disastrous decision in decades they got it right.
    #NeverStopNotGivingUp

  11. #9
    First Team
    Joined
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Tralee
    Posts
    2,466
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    205
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    258
    Thanked in
    201 Posts
    Gilmore's relative inaction over the last fortnight has handed some initiative to Sinn Féin and United Left, but the bank deal and the Budget will be the key test of both Opposition parties. What will really hurt Labour is the state of their constituency branches, which will determine the extent of their gains on three levels. Level 1 is Greater Dublin, Wicklow, Wexford, Kildare and Cork city, where the organisation is most developed and they can expect to gain second seats. Level 2 would be old strongholds like both Kerry areas, Tipperary, Louth, Carlow-Kilkenny, with branches that need reform and intense campaigning, but should yield seats key to the final outcome. Finally, the last level involves weak regions, like Donegal, Laois, Mayo and Clare, where there will be no gains, but roots should be laid down for five years time. When FG were on the brink of extinction, this was how Kenny rebuilt them from the ground up, and ultimately, FF will probably be doing the same over the coming decade.

  12. #10
    Capped Player
    Joined
    Apr 2005
    Posts
    15,261
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    1,726
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    2,794
    Thanked in
    1,912 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by Dodge View Post
    What do you expecty them to do, magic up TDs? Or magic up a clue for the Jackie Healys and Michael lowrys of th world? Whatever about their shortcomings, losing parliamentary votes sisn't one of them
    You are focussed on the mathematics of a tiny majority being maintained in the Dail.
    Given that whole set of circumstances I outlined that evolved in the last 2 years, it is clear evidence of ineptness that neither FG nor Labour could effect a campaign of opposition that had a result of even threatening the tiny parliamentary majority or even a drive a wedge between the coalition partners.
    What did I expect them to do? Effect a campaign of intelligent opposition, offer a clear analysis of the situation and offer an alternative strategy on how to deal with it and all in the face of FF insanity. If ever there was a no-brainer for what an opposition could have done and could have achieved, the last 2 years had all the opportunity. They did not even come close to managing that task , instead the Government doddled on for 2 years maintaing their majority, peddling confirmed lie after lie.

  13. #11
    International Prospect osarusan's Avatar
    Joined
    Sep 2004
    Location
    Scotland
    Posts
    7,908
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    1,206
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    1,787
    Thanked in
    999 Posts
    I'm not so sure that FG really wanted to get into government in the last two years. Their policy may have been to give FF enough rope and let them hang themselves.

  14. Thanks From:


  15. #12
    Capped Player
    Joined
    Apr 2005
    Posts
    15,261
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    1,726
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    2,794
    Thanked in
    1,912 Posts
    I'd agree to an extent, FG looking after the interests of FG, biding their time. What the country needed was an opposition.

  16. #13
    Now with extra sauce! Dodge's Avatar
    Joined
    Jun 2001
    Location
    Insomnia
    Posts
    23,529
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    663
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    2,676
    Thanked in
    1,454 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by geysir View Post
    What did I expect them to do? Effect a campaign of intelligent opposition, offer a clear analysis of the situation and offer an alternative strategy on how to deal with it and all in the face of FF insanity. If ever there was a no-brainer for what an opposition could have done and could have achieved, the last 2 years had all the opportunity. They did not even come close to managing that task , instead the Government doddled on for 2 years maintaing their majority, peddling confirmed lie after lie.
    You realise the FG and FF agree on the vast majority of issues? They couldn't oppose the majority of FF motions simply because they would implement the same things themselves.

    I think Labour have shown a masterclass in how to work in opposition as the third party. That FG have failed isn't their fault.

    If the Dail was simply made up of party politics, then FG and Laboiur might've had an opportunity to drive a wedge (as you say), but as long as FF delivered to the single issue indies, they were never going to lose
    54,321 sold - wws will never die - ***
    ---
    New blog if anyone's interested - http://loihistory.wordpress.com/
    LOI section on balls.ie - http://balls.ie/league-of-ireland/

  17. #14
    Godless Commie Scum
    Joined
    Jun 2001
    Location
    Co Wickla
    Posts
    11,396
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    138
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    656
    Thanked in
    436 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by geysir View Post
    What did I expect them to do? Effect a campaign of intelligent opposition, offer a clear analysis of the situation and offer an alternative strategy on how to deal with it and all in the face of FF insanity. If ever there was a no-brainer for what an opposition could have done and could have achieved, the last 2 years had all the opportunity. They did not even come close to managing that task , instead the Government doddled on for 2 years maintaing their majority, peddling confirmed lie after lie.
    FF/Greens had the numbers for all the major votes, the supposed rougue FFers have voted with the Government on all the major issues. The only votes the likes of Matty McGrath and John McGuinness have been flaky on have been pretty much irrelevant matters (stag hunting/ dog breeding for example), which wouldn't have been brought the Government down anyway even if defeated (and remember the criticism when labour switched to try and defeat the Government on stag hunting, to try and force the greens out of Government).

    The opposition can't invent votes - FFers always have and always will put party first when push comes to shove.

    On the original post, on the most pressing issue that has faced the state, Labour voted the "right way". It'll be very hard for both FF and FG to shake that off. They say they're going to produce an alternative budget, as they did last year. We still haven't seen FF or FG budgets yet, but Labour get all the grief from the INM/ RTE. They clearly have a problem getting the candidates in some areas, although some of those getting stick have put in the groundwork and are even elected Labour councillors.
    If you attack me with stupidity, I'll be forced to defend myself with sarcasm.

  18. #15
    Like the Fonz. Only a dog. Mr A's Avatar
    Joined
    Jun 2004
    Location
    In the gutter, but looking at the stars
    Posts
    11,479
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    1,729
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    3,309
    Thanked in
    1,522 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by Macy View Post

    On the original post, on the most pressing issue that has faced the state, Labour voted the "right way".
    And Sinn Fein. They give out about the 'consensus for cuts' yet they voted for the bill that beggared us.
    #NeverStopNotGivingUp

  19. #16
    Seasoned Pro
    Joined
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Black Earth, Russia
    Posts
    3,178
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    2,739
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    584
    Thanked in
    398 Posts
    I think Osarusan has it right, and it's something I mentioned on other threads, FG bottled the chance to get rid of FF at the last election - they could have done all sorts of deals to get them out, but sat on their hands. They knew what was happening, they knew what was to come, and sat back. And this is where they have disgraced themselves, and I have to count Labour in this to a large degree. If they truly wanted to save the country, they could have gotten their people out in the streets, the public opinion was there behind them, and gotten FF out of government, but they didn't. They shamed the country by allowing it be sold off to get a loan so that German, French, UK etc banks can get their money back, with Ireland as collateral. I would have slapped Dudley Edwards less ugly had she been near to me this weekend reading her blinkered crud about how the english care for Ireland so much and want us to recover. NO, they stated it clearly - Ireland is a cash cow for the UK economy, we're the perfect little ex-colony. We're infested with UK stores, products and their most worn out outpost (NI) is supported by cross border shopping and investments. But of course, the english love little Ireland. When they, and our "partners" all wanted to give us support, it was to prop up their own structures, and FF basked in this glow and let it look like we are loved. And scarily, they'll be back in, with Labour as junior partners in 2011.

  20. Thanks From:


  21. #17
    Godless Commie Scum
    Joined
    Jun 2001
    Location
    Co Wickla
    Posts
    11,396
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    138
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    656
    Thanked in
    436 Posts
    There is not a hope that a FG led coalition of ABFF could have agreed a programme for Government, never mind formed a stable Government. Only certain mentalist Greens ever believed it was remotely possible, and only then as some kind of backhanded defence of them doing the dirt on their electorate.
    If you attack me with stupidity, I'll be forced to defend myself with sarcasm.

  22. #18
    Coach BonnieShels's Avatar
    Joined
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Holm Span, Blackpool
    Posts
    12,026
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    2,397
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    2,635
    Thanked in
    1,813 Posts
    To criticise FG for looking out for FG at the last election and over the last 2 years misses the real point. FG and Labour over the years come into power and clean up the mess left by the magic beans planted by FF. Why should they have given up the opportunity to destroy FF once and for all? As an avowed anti-FFer I will welcome the end of this colloquial, crony and above all disgraceful stain on Irish society.
    Labour will be a junior partner in the next government. They've already accepted this from the way they have been acting in the last 3 weeks.
    DID YOU NOTICE A SIGN OUTSIDE MY HOUSE...?

  23. #19
    Godless Commie Scum
    Joined
    Jun 2001
    Location
    Co Wickla
    Posts
    11,396
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    138
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    656
    Thanked in
    436 Posts
    Given tomorrow's RedC in the sun, it might be Labour/SF/ULA.... SF 3 points ahead of FF (16% to 13%)
    If you attack me with stupidity, I'll be forced to defend myself with sarcasm.

  24. #20
    Coach BonnieShels's Avatar
    Joined
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Holm Span, Blackpool
    Posts
    12,026
    Thanks Thanks Given 
    2,397
    Thanks Thanks Received 
    2,635
    Thanked in
    1,813 Posts
    I said that in another thread. That genuinely scares me. I don't think sf will get next to near 22. We will see.
    DID YOU NOTICE A SIGN OUTSIDE MY HOUSE...?

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Similar Threads

  1. Replies: 8
    Last Post: 13/12/2011, 10:10 AM
  2. Election 2011 - General
    By backstothewall in forum Current Affairs
    Replies: 580
    Last Post: 26/02/2011, 8:29 AM
  3. Election 2011 - First Pre-Election Poll
    By dahamsta in forum Current Affairs
    Replies: 40
    Last Post: 19/11/2010, 6:13 PM
  4. Labour - really serious contenders?
    By culloty82 in forum Current Affairs
    Replies: 70
    Last Post: 30/09/2010, 3:18 PM
  5. Kenny says early general election likely
    By Ringo in forum Current Affairs
    Replies: 14
    Last Post: 14/11/2008, 5:12 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •