Splits emerging on Nice in Labour (sic) Party

national | miscellaneous | news report

Tuesday October 15, 2002 18:54

by wormholebrothers

from IT

Councillor to defy Labour on Nice vote
By Lorna Siggins, in Galway

A Galway Labour councillor is one of several party members in the west
who have decided to advocate a No vote in the Nice Treaty referendum.
Alderman Catherine Connolly, a member of Galway Corporation, has split
with her party colleague, former Arts Minister Michael D. Higgins, over
the Galway West branch approach to the vote.

Mr Higgins is seeking a Yes vote in line with official Labour policy.

Alderman Connolly said last night that she had been in contact with
several other Labour councillors, including Alderman Declan Bree (Sligo),
Cllr Brian Scanlon (Sligo) and Cllr Nicky Kelly (Wicklow), all of whom had
said that they were going to vote No.

Alderman Connolly, who is regarded as the "heir apparent" to Mr Higgins in
Galway West, said that it was extremely important to voice the concerns of
the "substantial number" of Labour Party members who had "serious concerns
about the Nice Treaty". She said that many constituencies throughout the
State were divided on the issue.

Comments (3 of 3)

Michael D is a fake who makes a few radical noises in opposition

by Michael D

Tue Oct 15, 2002 21:39

But D. serves the status quo, when they make him a minister. He is a fake, So is Joe Costello, who is rabidly pro Nice even though his entire labour party constituency branch is opposed to it. Who can take these fakes seriously, or the former student 'prince' pat rabbitte, who is trying to keep his head low on this issue, in order to appear like a 'radical' new leader of Labour, instead of just a boring old fart in a suit.

Question - why is the labour party fucked?

by muse

Wed Oct 16, 2002 00:21

In the current leadership election they do not have a No to Nice candidate. Even SIPTU can manage that.
The fact that their own supporters are split 30% against 35% for and these people are not represented by anybody who might be leader of the party.

It's easy to give out about the labour party - but its sort of sad too - as the emblem bearer of the 'labour movement' folds seamlessly into the establishment leaving no doubt that if you want to oppose and struggle, labour is a very stupid place to be.

labour will always sell out

by liberty hall

Thu Oct 17, 2002 00:58

You say these labour chancers and me feiners:
'In the current leadership election they do not have a No to Nice candidate,

This is hardly that strange, the layer at the top of labour is totally corrupted by the time it claws its way to the top of the putrid heap. They all tend to think the same anyway, and you see they are 'respectable' after all one was minister for social welfare and even finance and they were no different to ff ministers, only more sanctemonious and hypocritical. There are young labour leaders and politicans in training, so watch out for the new crop of concerned globalise resisters etc, the younger generation of future LABOUR sellouts.