Independent Socialist Party on the cards for Sligo/Leitrim

sligo | politics / elections | other press Tuesday April 11, 2006 21:59 by Pat - LP

Internal fighting within the Labour Party in the Sligo-North Leitrim constituency has deepened with the decision of the all the members (23) of the North Leitrim branch not to renew their membership of the party. Former Sligo-Leitrim TD Declan Bree, who comes from the left of the party, has been in sharp conflict with the party leadership. Bree said he regretted the resignation of former county council candidate Gabriel McSharry. Sources in Sligo say Bree is coming under strong pressure from supporters to leave Labour and stand as an independent socialist. Also Bree and several of his supporters did not attend Labour’s annual conference last weekend.

“Despite the fact that the entire membership of the Labour Party in Leitrim wanted Gabriel added as a party candidate to contest the next general election, and despite the fact that the Sligo-Leitrim Constituency Council had requested that his name be added to the ticket, the party leadership in Dublin consistently refused to include him as a candidate,” Bree said.
“Despite Gabriel’s work for the party over the years, it is clear that the party leadership has no hesitation in sacrificing him and the entire North Leitrim membership rather than add him as a second candidate on the Labour Party ticket in the constituency.
“It would appear that the Labour general election campaign in Sligo-North Leitrim will be solely about sweeping up preference votes for Fine Gael.”
Mr McSharry told Daily Ireland he resigned for personal reasons.
“I’m taking some time out to see what direction in politics I’m taking,” McSharry said.
“I have no axe to grind. I don’t want to get into any bad feeling with anyone. I want a clean break from the Labour Party.”
Bree and several of his supporters did not attend Labour’s annual conference last weekend.