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.
Comments (3 of 3)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3Hopefully they will run and we can see the beginnings of a wider socialist party, if the sp can poll well and pull in two tds, the campaign for an independent left keep their td and poll well in dublin , and this in sligo leitrm and other independents we can see a skeleton begin to form for the future. (which doesn't mean it'll be ready tomorrow). With more struggle beginning to appear in workplaces, ie gama and irish ferries hopefully we're beginning to see something stirring in irish society and in the next few years there may be the forces necessary to launch a new inititive. And after with labour in government (wheter it be FG or FF, after rabbittes magill interview!) it could put more pressure to form a new inititive.
The decision of Labour members in Leitrim to effectively 'sit out' the next election will probably be replicated all over the country where Labour doesn't have a realisitic chance of taking a seat .
Who wants to go out and effectively sweep up votes for Fine Gael?
Labour should never have abandoned its policy of standing on its own two feet and fighting for our own policies and our own people and then having a free hand to get them implemented with whoever else would support them.
Pats days are numbered, the members have learnt a harsh lesson, politics is not about dail debates, which Pat seems to think it is.
Give Labour back to Labour People! Stickies F**k O** home!
The mistake Bree made was joining the Labour Party in the first place. He was in a very strong position in Sligo at the time and was becoming well known nationwide. He could have been the focus for a left opposition outside the Labour Party.
I would support him leaving now and running as an independent. He would have a good chance of being elected. But the question then arises - what happens after? He must engage and actively participate with others about building an alternative left and not sit in splendid independent isolation in Sligo
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