Disappointment with SDLP

[simonj]

Well, even a party that I have always admired dissappoints.
The dynastic streak in Irish poltics was highlighted again this week in a speech by Margaret Ritchie at the Labour conference in Galway

"the next election in the Republic would be a great day for the Labour Party. “And on that night I will be watching a TV, in Downpatrick, looking out for one particular result. The name Spring, restored to its rightful place, heading the poll in Kerry North.”

The sooner we go to a list system the better, FF & FG have for years run a dynastic caste system, but seeing Labour develop this with the Sherlocks, Quinns and the Springs, where other local candidates are sideligned for family members it is getting obvious that now Labour are also becoming acolites to this blight on Irish politics.
And the SDLP, the party of Mallon and Hume, a party based on fairness, honesty and equality should not be supporting this tribal mentality.

Roll on the electorial list system.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...268629876.html

[C. Flower]

How would the list system prevent politicians children from being elected / selected ?

[simonj]

Well, first and foremost AN would stop the co-opting system, there would have to be a by-election in a county when a seat was vacated.

National elctions should be run at a national level and the most common way of doing this across the EU is by the list system, and in doing that we would bypass local tribal loyalties, gombeen politics and parish pump persuasion

[John McMahon]

The SDLP's cosy relationship with the Eire Labour Party is one of the reasons for its electoral decline. Within the Eire Labour party there were and are many anti-Catholics. Dr Noel Browne, Justin Keathing, Conor Cruise O'Brien, Fergus Finlay, and Ruari Quinn. There were others who have displayed anti-GAA attitudes. Others who have dared to preach at the SDLP. e.g. Liz McManus, Brendan Halligan.

The fact that the SDLP does not have the wit to distance itself from the Eire Labour party speaks volumes for just how out-of-touch it is from its former electoral support. Some of the SDLP leaders seem to have more interest in Malawi than in Northern Ireland.

[simonj]

Saying people like Noel Browne was anti catholic is not really correct, at odds with the hierarchy maybe - but not with people who are catholic.
Its to simplistic to say that, and is not a fair reflection on those people.

CCOB really, like Eoin Harris, are politically all over the shop so even being put in the same catagory as Dr. Browne is not in anyway a comparison.

As for Brendan Halligan, I feel he is a very self serving person - sort of an Irish Peter Mandelson in my opinion, I wrote about him at length well over a year ago.

[Kev Bar]

The SDLP's cosy relationship with the Eire Labour Party is one of the reasons for its electoral decline. Within the Eire Labour party there were and are many anti-Catholics. Dr Noel Browne, Justin Keathing, Conor Cruise O'Brien, Fergus Finlay, and Ruari Quinn. There were others who have displayed anti-GAA attitudes. Others who have dared to preach at the SDLP. e.g. Liz McManus, Brendan Halligan.

The fact that the SDLP does not have the wit to distance itself from the Eire Labour party speaks volumes for just how out-of-touch it is from its former electoral support. Some of the SDLP leaders seem to have more interest in Malawi than in Northern Ireland.

Noel Browne? I wld happily shine his "anti-catholic" shoes.
For catholic read misogynist, capitalistic, child-molesting, bullying scum.
May Ireland be rid of Catholics.

The Cruiser...terribly sorry that some of the brightest names in recent Irish politics disappoint.

Who's next?

Thornely?

Anti-GAA! What a crime. The ghosts of Letterfraic kids would howl in horror at the thought.

Anti-GAA.


What crime next?

Anti gob-daw?

[Cáthasaigh]

The Cruiser...terribly sorry that some of the brightest names in recent Irish politics disappoint.

CCOB? Do please enlighten us with any argument which might rehabilitate his reputation.

Anti-GAA! What a crime. The ghosts of Letterfraic kids would howl in horror at the thought.

The GAA is a 32 County organisation and where I come from your comment makes no sense but then again the GAA isn't contaminated with institutionalised Gombínism in Tyrone.