FF leadership heave:

[adamirer]

Hey, we've 3 threads about Kenny resigning/heaved, ignoring the fact that there is a vote of no confidence in Cowen next Tuesday, and he's just been held up as significantly responsible for the dilemma we are in. Surely this debate should be about the next FF leader, or like FF'er keep saying about the oppisition "maybe they don't want to be in power?".

FF until this year, have never been behind not only FG, but also Labour. This is only happened on Cowens watch. On the one poll here Labour were 2nd placed, FF were a mere point behind.

Two months on, FF are now 11% behind the 2nd placed party, FG and 15% behind Labour. Its worth saying again. In third place by a distance of 11%. Thats a bigger percentage than Labour got in the 2007 GE. Cowen has just been eviscorated by two banking reports. His defence has been 'no one would have done better'.

So, FF have a leader who is seen as directly culpable for a large chunk of the mess we're in. Whats FF's alternative?

Lenihan - undergoing serious health treatment.
Dempsey - massively divisive.
Hanafin - capable but battling to hold her seat and recently demoted.
D Ahern - an Iain Duncan Smith, it wouldn't work.
Coughlan - eh....
Martin - has been fairly anonomous in ForAff despite a strong stance on Israel, but relatively undamaged so far by the economy collapse... kept head down.

Martin looks like the only possible replacement, unless Hanafin makes a play. Hanafin could be an inspired choice. Smart, articulate, a bit of resentment athow she was treated having walked the social welfare minefield...

Will any of these pipe up? Will John McGuinness & Mattie McGrath tow the party line after months of pretending to be FF in opposition?

[redger]

Hey, we've 3 threads about Kenny resigning/heaved, ignoring the fact that there is a vote of no confidence in Cowen next Tuesday, and he's just been held up as significantly responsible for the dilemma we are in. Surely this debate should be about the next FF leader, or like FF'er keep saying about the oppisition "maybe they don't want to be in power?".

FF until this year, have never been behind not only FG, but also Labour. This is only happened on Cowens watch. On the one poll here Labour were 2nd placed, FF were a mere point behind.

Two months on, FF are now 11% behind the 2nd placed party, FG and 15% behind Labour. Its worth saying again. In third place by a distance of 11%. Thats a bigger percentage than Labour got in the 2007 GE. Cowen has just been eviscorated by two banking reports. His defence has been 'no one would have done better'.

So, FF have a leader who is seen as directly culpable for a large chunk of the mess we're in. Whats FF's alternative?

Lenihan - undergoing serious health treatment.
Dempsey - massively divisive.
Hanafin - capable but battling to hold her seat and recently demoted.
D Ahern - an Iain Duncan Smith, it wouldn't work.
Coughlan - eh....
Martin - has been fairly anonomous in ForAff despite a strong stance on Israel, but relatively undamaged so far by the economy collapse... kept head down.

Martin looks like the only possible replacement, unless Hanafin makes a play. Hanafin could be an inspired choice. Smart, articulate, a bit of resentment athow she was treated having walked the social welfare minefield...

Will any of these pipe up? Will John McGuinness & Mattie McGrath tow the party line after months of pretending to be FF in opposition?

I hope that FF do nothing to save themselves, but as you say, if they did, Hanafin may in fact be an inspired choice.

There is something rarely mentioned about the polls and voting intentions. IMHO, the Dubs love having a taoiseach, and assume the taoiseach should be based in Dub.

What happened when FF offered them Bertie?? he may not have been able to string 2 words together, and was visible as a chancer from 500 miles away, but he was a dub and they chose him.

Now, Enda - culchie, and whatever they say to peoples faces, the dubs just think "we dont want a culchie". Who won the locals and Euro's overall? - FG
But who won in Dublin?? Why ??

Now to Gilmore - which is the only major party to give the voters a Dub TD as potential taoiseach??? Correct
And what is happening to the polls in Dub since he took over??? Biggest party in the locals in Dub??? correct again

What happened to FF in Dub when Cowen took over??? Euros? Locals anyone??

Now to Hanafin. A dublin based FF leader not contaminated by the sh1te???
Actually badly treated by "the culchies"?

bug*er, I shouldn't have pointed it out to them.

[Tommythecommy]

Fianna Fáil cannot go into the next election with Cowen in Charge.

He will be jettisoned soon.

The big problem is collective cabinet responsibility and the support of the party for their leader and Government

[Boggle]

I hope that FF do nothing to save themselves, but as you say, if they did, Hanafin may in fact be an inspired choice.

There is something rarely mentioned about the polls and voting intentions. IMHO, the Dubs love having a taoiseach, and assume the taoiseach should be based in Dub.

What happened when FF offered them Bertie?? he may not have been able to string 2 words together, and was visible as a chancer from 500 miles away, but he was a dub and they chose him.

Now, Enda - culchie, and whatever they say to peoples faces, the dubs just think "we dont want a culchie". Who won the locals and Euro's overall? - FG
But who won in Dublin?? Why ??

Now to Gilmore - which is the only major party to give the voters a Dub TD as potential taoiseach??? Correct
And what is happening to the polls in Dub since he took over??? Biggest party in the locals in Dub??? correct again

What happened to FF in Dub when Cowen took over??? Euros? Locals anyone??

Now to Hanafin. A dublin based FF leader not contaminated by the sh1te???
Actually badly treated by "the culchies"?

bug*er, I shouldn't have pointed it out to them.

Interesting theory. Have very very little time for Hannafin though.

In her favour would be the likelihood of lenihan's support if he cannot run himself (he'll prob be rewarded with Tanaiste).

[Rebel CNC]

Any move against Cowen would lead to an election. None of the main candidates want that right now. They know FF are going to get hammered next time out so might as well let Cowen carry the can.

FG on the other hand are up against the most incompetent, corrupt, stale and generally hated government in the history of tthe state and yet are now drifting below 30% which is unbelievable for what was the main opposition party.

Even the most die-hard Kenny supporters are now coming around to the point of view that Kenny is electoral poison and that he has to go.

[adamirer]

Lets keep this to FF leadership, theres several threads running on Kenny already, which really shouldnt be the story of the week when FF are down to 17%!!!!

[Disillusioned democrat]

Fianna Fáil cannot go into the next election with Cowen in Charge.

He will be jettisoned soon.

The big problem is collective cabinet responsibility and the support of the party for their leader and Government

I actually believe with the media in US and UK stirred up he has to know he has to go, and interestingly enough may have to go before the VoNC, because if FF forced to vote confidence in him they'll suffer for it when the inevitable general election comes about, so we may have an answer a lot sooner than we expect.

[Edo]

Truth is Admirer - nobody cares.

Because there will be no leadership heave in FF

Because there is no appetite for change in FF this side of a GE

Because nearly all FF tds are getting their posters printed up with the smallest FF logos in history and are promoting themselves as great "local" men and women

Because they know they are toast and are getting ready for opposition - actually I know a few who are actively looking forward to opposition and the chance to rebuild.

[Tommythecommy]

I actually believe with the media in US and UK stirred up he has to know he has to go, and interestingly enough may have to go before the VoNC, because if FF forced to vote confidence in him they'll suffer for it when the inevitable general election comes about, so we may have an answer a lot sooner than we expect.

How can you question the Taoiseach's competence without questioning the Cabinet's

Very difficult to sent the same front bench before the electorate

[FakeViking]

Now to Hanafin. A dublin based FF leader not contaminated by the sh1te???

A former treasurer of FF in the Haughey/Burke era.