I canât see it pal, but stranger things have happened.
For me they have betrayed their party values to stay in power and their voting demograph will surely address that in the new year.
The only thing they have achieved really beside their parent party is maintain social welfare rates, they havenât looked after working people who are their parties spine.
Iâd agree with this. I think Labour vote will obviously collapse but I donât think it will be an annihilation for them.
I think theyâve done a bit more. The lgbtgab community are delighted and everyone who has young kids is now enjoying the benfits of free gp care for under 6s. I think thatâll buy a lot of votes. I also think that the general (and somewhat justified) hatred of them for selling out has mellowed a bit and there is a slightly more grudging acceptance that they were part of a government that many think did well, even if they sold out some of their natural support.
Obviously my experience is dublin based not rural but Iâm led to believe the response on the doorstep is a lot more positive than it was a year or two ago.
I will never understand why he did this. Especially seeing as he is fond of a row.
as there are no differences between labour and the blue-shirts people will just vote FG
The most interesting part of your post there pal is Dublin based, which is obviously there hunting ground. But without sounding like a bollix I think youâre wrong as youâre looking at it from a more middle class point of view.
The working class areas votes in Dublin which were a massive demograph for Labour in the past will nearly all go to Sinn Fein imo the next day out. Water Charges was the final nail in their coffin for me.
Hes afraid of his shit if Mattie NcGrath
I reckon the current government will be re-elected with a vastly reduced majority. I think FG will hold most of their seats, and Lab will hold just about enough to get them over the line. The government is slowly increasing in popularity (or maybe decreasing in unpopularity might be more like it) and the Budget measures coming through in the new year should shore that up a bit. Neither main opposition party is overwhelmingly popular either.
FG should be able to run a fairly effective red scare in the campaign to retain middle class and rural votes (FF saying they wouldnât go into government with them plays into their hands on this - theyâll be able to say that a vote for FG is only way to guarantee SF, socialists, etc are kept out). May need support of a few other TDs. In that case, Iâd guess they would prefer to deal with Social Democrats or Renua (assuming each has a few seats) rather than independents.
Reallly?
As Brendan Howlin was overheard saying during a debate recently âItâs only Mattieâ
Itâs possible. But in much of dublin that vote will be split by AAA, Right to water, SF and independent. Also, labour have long had decent support in the pinko Liberal middle classes and I think that may hold firm.
Thats his strength. Did you see that debate? Comes accross as harmless but by guck did he clean up that night
Youâve nailed it there for me, the main problem with the far left is there is some many of them, if they could consolidate they could do damage.
Sinn Fein are left, but Labour obviously now are in the middle. What might save them would be 2nd and 3rd preferences but I canât see it.
Burton not being sexist, is the worst political party leader in the country and thatâs saying something. Gilmore had something about him, and Rabbitte is or was a good politician. She doesnât have it.
Kelly would have been better than her. At least he has an abrasive/rawness about him (although Iâd say heâs nowhere near a labour/left man. Iâd say heâd be far more suited in FF or FG.
Agreed, there is a leader quality about him, his Bertie ahernesque in ways the way he can pretend to at least care about the people, and comes across as believable.
Iâd say FF rather then FG, as Noonan to his credit makes no bones about giving a fuck about the working class.
Kelly is a coward when it comes to facing the public
Kelly splits the party down the middle though. And if you donât like him you hate him. At the time Burton was seen as by far the strongest option and was bashing heads with Gilmore regularly. Noone foresaw what an annoying crank sheâd turn out to be. Ged Nash would be my tip if Burton doesnât get in. Heâs 9-1 at the moment (but is fighting like fuck for his own seat). Heâs certainly popular and seen as very capable within his own party.
I wouldnât mind if this happened because the good thing is Niall Collins said on Vincent Browne one night that he was so certain that it would not be happening and that FF were so against it that he promised to resign his seat should it happen. So fingers crossed.
Ff will do a deal with Sf before Fg. They wont bend over for Kenny. Best scenario is theyll support a minority government
That would be brilliant, that political dynasty deserve to be fucked out of politics for good.
Cute hoorism is endemic in that family.
Ask him to write a letter to that effect