Rabbitte faces party inquiry over councillor's complaint

by BS Mon Oct 31, 2005 17:42

Labour Leader Accused of 'injurious actions'


THE row within the Labour Party involving Clr. Declan Bree has now taken a new twist with Clr. Bree accusing the party leader of "actions injurious to the interests of the party," a charge similar to that upheld against Clr. Bree himself by the party's Complaints Committee last weekend.


Clr. Bree has now lodged a formal complaint under Article 14 of the Labour Party Constitution with Mr Mike Allen, General Secretary of the Labour Party, as a result of a letter from Mr. Rabbitte which appeared in The Irish Times on September 6th last on the issue of Traveller accommodation in Sligo.

A spokesman for the Labour Party confirmed that a complaint had been received from Clr Bree.

"However, as the complaint is being investigated we do not wish to comment further," the spokesman told The Sligo Champion.

It's believed that on receipt of a complaint the General Secretary has a period of 21 days to decide whether the complaint should be dismissed as frivolous or vexatious or whether it should be deemed valid and a Complaints Committee established. Any complaint not dismissed may be referred to a meeting of a Complaints Committee to be appointed and convened by the General Secretary for that purpose and which shall consist of at least 5 persons selected from the complaints panel appointed by the National Executive Committee.

The Complaints Committee which investigates the case has the power to decide to dismiss the complaint, to note the complaint but take no action, to suspend a person from Party membership or to expel a person from membership of the Party.

In his complaint, Clr. Bree states that Mr Rabbitte should chose to make an attack on him in such a public manner on the basis of scurrilous and unfounded allegations – and indeed allegations which he read of for the first time in the "Irish Times" on the 6th September – was particularly shocking and unacceptable.

Clr. Bree's complaint stated that Mr Rabbitte wrote, "in Sligo Clr Bree used his position as Mayor to stop an accommodation site going into his own electoral ward and sought to put it into the ward of a colleague that already has three such sites."

But Clr. Bree states: "The minute book of Sligo Borough Council for February 2005 will confirm that the only proposal in regard to my ward, the East Ward, was an amendment to the Traveller Accommodation Programme to the effect that a location be sought in the ward for the provision of apartments for newly wed young travellers. The minutes will confirm that I, as Mayor of Sligo, and the other councillors, supported the said amendment.

"That Mr Rabbitte would claim that the office of the Mayor of Sligo was abused for personal or political advantage is an allegation that cannot be ignored either by me or by the citizens of Sligo."

Clr. Bree said he was proud of the fact that he was born and reared in Sligo. He had spent a lifetime – since he was 15 years of age - involved in politics in Sligo. Apart from representing the Sligo/Leitrim constituency in the Dail for 5 years, he had had the privilege of representing the people of the city and county at local government level for over 31 years.

He added that during his years in local government he always respected and recognised the import and the significance of the office of Mayor of Sligo.

His letter of complaint to Mr. Allen went on: "On the 21st June 2004, after a wait of 30 years, I was privileged to be unanimously elected Mayor of Sligo. To be chosen as Mayor of one’s own native town is a unique honour and in that context I pledged to fulfil my role as first citizen in a manner befitting the position.

"During my year in office I carried out my duties as Mayor to the very best of my ability and I particularly ensured that the office of first citizen was not used or abused for personal or partisan political purposes. At the conclusion of my term I can only say that I was overwhelmed at the positive and warm messages of thanks and congratulations I received from all sectors of Sligo society - community groups, chamber of commerce, voluntary organisations – and from every member of the Borough Council regardless of political affiliation.

"Never, not even on one occasion during my 12-month period in office, did any citizen of Sligo or any elected representative suggest that I ever abused my position as Mayor of Sligo. Not one citizen or elected representative ever alleged that I used my position as Mayor of Sligo, to stop an accommodation site going into my own electoral ward and sought to put in into the ward of a colleague.

"That Mr Pat Rabbitte would make such an unfounded and defamatory allegation is unacceptable.

"In all my years as a political activist and in my 31 years as an elected representative I am proud of the fact - and the record will show - that I have always striven to protect the rights of minorities, whether immigrants, Travellers or other groups

"This must surely be the first occasion in the history of the Irish Labour Party that a Party Leader has attempted to vilify and smear a Labour Party colleague in such a manner.

"Mr. Rabbitte was well aware that the only complaint or allegation made to the General Secretary of the Labour Party against me is that I brought the Labour Party into disrepute by refusing to apologise for publicly describing my fellow Councillors’ decision to vote against Sligo’s Traveller Accommodation Programme as disgraceful.

"It is very clear to me that Mr Rabbitte engaged in activities injurious to the interests of the Labour Party contrary to Article 14 of the Constitution of the Party by:

(a) Publicly attacking me, a Labour Party member, in public without any grounds

(b) Misinforming the "Irish Times" that I had abused by position as Mayor of Sligo.

(c) Attempting to vilify and smear me, a Labour Party colleague, in an unprecedented public manner

(d) Making scurrilous and unfounded allegations against a party colleague

(e) Making his judgment (not based on the facts) on me, a Labour Party colleague - known to the public through the "Irish Times" on the 6th September when he was fully aware that a hearing by a complaints committee was due to sit in early October to hear a complaint against me.

(f) Acting in a manner, which was likely to cause ever further division and rancour amongst the rank and file members of the Labour Party.

(g) Acting in a manner most unbecoming to a Leader of the Labour Party.

by Joe Mon Oct 31, 2005 21:26

Seem that socialists are no longer welcome in the Labour Party...... Bree should jump ship . Before it sinks.

by kintama Tue Nov 01, 2005 00:43

Mike Allen has clearly accepted that the complaint is not vexatious and it is difficult to imagine that the complaint will not now be upheld. The somewhat surprising decision to take no action against Bree can be seen in the context of a party crapping itself in the knowledge that Rabbitte has been caught bang to rights . Would it however be acceptable for someone to stay on as party leader if a complaint of this nature is upheld ,even if no action is to be taken. I for one do not believe so, Declan should stay and Rabbitte should leave to join his natural habitat in FG.
Rabbitte has clearly lost it thinking verbal thuggery could replace the kicking Bree may well have got behind the Stickie Club in Pats former existence. Article 14 is clearly mightier than the sword.

by Dublin Exile Tue Nov 01, 2005 12:57

I think this development goes to show that the Labur Party remains an open and democratic organisation and that its structures can be used and accessed by all members not just the leadership. How many of the trots or anarchists who post here would get similar treatment from their own organisations? Not many.
I still reckon Rabbittes days as interloper are over as soon as the election results are apparent. Real Labour marches on!

by kintama Wed Nov 02, 2005 00:26

I agree that the party at this moment is still open and democratic. However if Rabbitte succeeds in purging the likes of Bree I think we can all look forward to a spot of Stalinist discipline and less than subtle constitutional amendments. Given Pats background he is unlikely to have taken kindly to challenge and dissent from within the party, but the 'big stick' approach to dealing with problems is a bit more problematic these days. Interesting days ahead.

by Minge Face - Radical Hippy Fucks Wed Nov 02, 2005 00:32 getlife at fuckface dot com

If you are reading this then this is warning is for you. Every word you read here of this usesless fine print is another second off your life. Don't you have other things to do? Is your life so empty that you honestly can't think of a better way to spend these moments? Or are you so impressed with politics and authority that you think if you sound really smart you'll get respect? Do you read everything you're supposed to read? Do you think everything you're supposed to think? Buy what you're told you should want? Get out of your flat. Meet a member of the opposite sex. Stop the excessive moaning and masturbation. Quit your job. Start a fight. Prove you're alive. If you don't claim you're humanity you will become a statistic. You have been warned.. Anonymous

by kintama Wed Nov 02, 2005 00:43

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by ollie - bla Thu Nov 03, 2005 03:02

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