Demonstration at the Green Party Conference

by Mick Mon Nov 02, 2009 16:39

You've counted a lot of chickens in that post, Jim, and we're still a long way from them hatching.

It would be a very good day for the left in electoral terms if all five of those seats were won. There are only six seats where the left has any kind of chance of winning, and only two where a win would be overwhelmingly likely. And that's if an election was called now. There might not be one for a couple of years and an awful lot can happen in that time.

I think that your assumption that SF will lose seats is probably wrong. Again if an election was called now, I think that they'd be favoured to finish with at least two more seats than they started with, with potential gains in Donegal and Dublin. O'Snodaigh's seat could be in trouble, but there's a fair chance that the PB4P Alliance could squander that chance by running two candidates - can you see either the SWP (Smith) or Collins stepping aside and working for the other? Last time out, O'Snodaigh got almost as many of Smith's transfers as Collins.

As for "sectarian sniping", well there's certainly enough of it about. This discussion was started by a poster who seemed to think that the most important thing about two left groups merging was that it provided the opportunity to have a dig at a third left organisation! But there's an important distinction to be drawn between "sectarian sniping" and political disagreement. The PB4P Alliance and the SP are following very different strategies based on different understandings of the situation we are in. There would be no benefit to anybody in just pretending to agree with each other and hiding disagreements.

by Jim Mon Nov 02, 2009 13:04

I don't think elections are the be all and end all but I think it will be quite significant if after the next elections there are 5 PBP/SP T.D.s in the Dail.

These are likely to be:
Joe Higgins
Clare Daly
Richard Boyd Barrett
Joan Collins/ Brid Smith
Seamus Healy

In the context of there been something along the lines of up to 40 Labour T.D.s, Sinn Fein losing a couple more seats and the Greens been almost obliterated and Labour been in government PBP/SP will be in a strong position to lead the left opposition.

It is highly likely that the SP/ PBP combined will be the biggest opposition force in the Dail except for FF. It will be changed times indeed and if people put aside sectarian sniping there could be a big opportunity to build the left.

by Wayne Mon Nov 02, 2009 01:23

Best wishes to all. The SP will still be arguing when the reveolution comes. Well done to the Tipp Workers and PB4P-they now are bigger than the Green Party in terms of Cllrs. Conrats

by Conor Sun Nov 01, 2009 23:21

The Socialist party sticks to its guns, the ''People before profit alliance''/Socialist Workers Party will do ANYTHING to get a vote, no matter what the consequences of the people or the image of the party.

I think voting is a waste of time in general (which leader would you like?) but, risking sounding like a total hypocrite here, I voted for the SP in the local and European elections (well done Joe). But I would N E V E R vote the the PBPA/SWP, or anyone else for that matter.

Who next? ''we at the PBPA believe the Labour party has the revolutionary interests of the people at heart and we propose a voting pact with them''

Long live the Revolution??

---organise at home, in your community & in your workplace---

by MELT - Socialist Party Sun Nov 01, 2009 21:45

Prior to the recent local elections the Socialist Party put forward a reasonable proposal for an alliance of genuine left candidates that could have contained at least 30 candidates on it. The conditions for such an alliance were that candidates would have a credible record and would refuse to make deals with any right wing parties on councils or vote in favour of estimates that would attack the rights and conditions of working class people. This was unfortunately rejected by the PPBA and the Tipperary Workers and Unemployment Action Group.

The reasons for the rejection of this proposal was that it was "too limited". It would appear however that PPBA are not willing to make the issue of voting against anti-working class estimates a principle for a future alliance of the left. Ironically
in the same month that they rejected our proposal Cllr Catheine Connolly voted in favour of estimates that contained over €1.8 million worth of cutbacks. Despite this Connolly was invited to the launch of the PPBA local election campaign at a public meeting in Dublin. As well this the PPBA had a joint press conference with her during the campaign where no mention was made of voting against estimates. At a public meeting of the PPBA after the local election one of their leading representatives said that the alliance would be broadened out to contain other left groups and individuals which included Connolly.

This approach shows that PPBA's idea of "unity at any price" seems to go beyond its unwillingness to put forward a socialist alternative to the present capitalist crisis. For the record the Socialist Party is in favour of slate of left candidates in the upcoming elections and the creation of a mass party of the working class. We believe however that the workers movement needs to be rebuilt on a principled basis.

by worker - none yet Sat Oct 31, 2009 21:45

The Tipperary workers and Unemployed Group have agreed to affiliate to PBP at a meeting to take place this month. This is a huge step forward. PBP will move from six to thirteen to fourteen Cllrs.

What next for the sp?

by Hector O A Tue Oct 13, 2009 14:43

A small demonstration which had zero effect.

by an irish rant Tue Oct 13, 2009 13:21

take a look at this. nice take on green party