Sunday 26th SBP RedC Poll - FF 26% (-10) FG 33% (+5)

[bobbysands81]

I may yet live to see a day when FG are the largest political party in these Isles

What do you mean "these isles?"

[FutureTaoiseach]

An extraordinary collapse for FF, which seems consistent with my predictions of a realignment in Irish politics. While agreeing with the principle of means-tested benefits, Cowen and Lenihan mishandled it disasterously, both in terms of the original thresholds that would apply and in terms of preparing the public for it. The recession is also part of the equation, with only 20% saying they have confidence in the govt to manage the public finances.

[peader odonnell]

?
Of course not. FG don't want an election, but if they got one, they'd go all out for power and rightly so.

Why dont FG want an election ,they must be starveing for power ,ravenous at this stage.

[alonso]

What do you mean "these isles?"

Ireland, Lambay Isl, Ireland's Eye, Dalkey Island, Aran Island, Achill, Craggy, Islandbridge?

stop lookin for a fight with blueshirts

[toxic avenger]

An extraordinary collapse for FF, which seems consistent with my predictions of a realignment in Irish politics. While agreeing with the principle of means-tested benefits, Cowen and Lenihan mishandled it disasterously, both in terms of the original thresholds that would apply and in terms of preparing the public for it. The recession is also part of the equation, with only 20% saying they have confidence in the govt to manage the public finances.

Perhaps the problem was taking away universality to claw back a measly 100million, which could have been clawed back by refusing to pay Bertie Ahern's make-up bill for the last month in office...

[kerrynorth]

Factual, Sinn Fein were at 10% more than once, three years ago. Being at 10% now does not represent your mythical steady sustainable growth. It represents flatlining. If there was an election now, they'd pick up a few extra seats - but not because of some staggeringly visionary long-term strategy, but because FF are staggeringly, indeed historically, unpopular right now. Don't kid yourself.

In fact only a 1% gain from a 12% fall in government support and a 14% fall in FF in 2 months represents a very worrying outcome for SF.

[factual]

Another interesting point regarding Sinn Féin arising from this pole.

Many people put forward the thesis that there is an affinity between SF and FF and a sizeable section of the electorate that hovers between SF and FF. Since SF is a radical progressive left wing party and FF is a establishment right wing party I always disagreed with this. This pole is further evidence in support of my position and against the view that FF and SF are close substitutes.

[Fr. Hank Tree]

Why dont FG want an election ,they must be starveing for power ,ravenous at this stage.

Because they don't want to be in power at that awful stage where:
1)you're too late to do anything to prevent the disease
2)you're there just in time to have to deal with the bulk of its nasty symptoms
3)you're curing it on top of all that, and just as things start to improve, time is up before this improvement manifests itself, you're chucked out and someone else takes the credit, you're propogated as the one who failed to solve the problem...

Lather, rinse, repeat every generation.
History repeats itself - first time's a tragedy, second time's a farce etc..etc..

[toxic avenger]

Another interesting point regarding Sinn Féin arising from this pole.

Many people put forward the thesis that there is an affinity between SF and FF and a sizeable section of the electorate that hovers between SF and FF. Since SF is a radical progressive left wing party and FF is a establishment right wing party I always disagreed with this. This pole is further evidence in support of my position and against the view that FF and SF are close substitutes.

Every cloud, eh?

[factual]

In fact only a 1% gain from a 12% fall in government support and a 14% fall in FF in 2 months represents a very worrying outcome for SF.

Not so.

1. Sinn Féin are better off with sustainable organic vote increease not the unsustainable artificial uncommitted increase that switched from FF to FG/Labour.

2. It also establishes once and for all the important point that SF is seen as having a distinct ideology from FF; i.e. it establishes the point that SF is a left wing party and not a substitute for those who seek the right wing politics represented by FF. As such it high-lights SF's discinctiveness in Irish politics.