Coming shortly after
Saint Valentine’s Day, this year’s general election didn’t bring much love to
the Labour Party. Their deep throated embrace of Fine Gael – their partners in
coalition government since 2011 – could well prove to be the kiss of death for
a political organisation founded on left wing principles. These principles were
– and continue to be – largely ignored by the party’s Dail contingent and it’s
hard to see what sort of future Labour now has as a political force.
Could Alan Kelly –
assuming he succeeds Joan Burton (not certain as I write) – be the last leader
of Ireland’s Labour Party? Mr Kelly is known to be one of the chief advocates
of the water charges that have caused so much controversy. The charge is an
anathema to many on the left of Irish politics and the party’s support for this,
in addition to stubbornly backing up Fine Gael in government on other issues,
has alienated many Labour voters.
Before Polling Day
Labour boasted 37 TD’s in Dail Eireann. Now their numbers barely reach seven
deputies. This electoral disaster didn’t occur by accident. Similar to the
Labour Party in Britain, the Irish Labour Party has abandoned its original
principles. This became clear over the course of the last five years as they
worked closely on economic regeneration, in partnership with Fine Gael, a party
which has little sympathy for those on the thin end of the wedge. By allying
themselves to the architects of austerity, Labour have been left dangerously exposed.
Only two of Labour’s seven TD’s represent
Dublin constituencies. This compares with 18 Dublin TD’s before February’s
election. It is hard to see them reaching this figure again. Labour hemorrhaged
votes all over the place. Outside of Dublin the chief beneficiaries were the
Independents, Sinn Fein and Fianna Fail. In the capital these parties took
votes from Labour in addition to the Anti Austerity Alliance/People Before
Profit and other smaller left wing groups who have benefited from huge disaffection
among Labour voters.
Despite the Labour
Party being in an extremely vulnerable position, it still remains strong as a
national organisation. But that may not be for long. The future for the party
will depend on whether or not the membership, rather than the leadership, can
define Labour’s political identity and take it back to its left wing roots,
where the party’s true support lies. Unless this happens Ireland’s Labour Party
could well be extinct in a few short years. They are heading for political
oblivion.
Mr Kelly’s stout
defence of the water charges flies in the face of many on the left of Irish
politics. This has done much damage to Labour’s reputation among the voters. By
failing to assert themselves in government they have allowed themselves to be
portrayed as no longer being a friend to the disadvantaged in Irish society.
Much will have to be done to repair the damage and it is unclear at this stage
what, if anything, can be done to stem the tide. The lesson to all political
parties must be: if you ignore your voters, they will ignore you. This is
precisely what has happened to the Irish Labour Party. James Connolly must be
turning in his grave.
