George Lee resigns from Fine Gael and as a TD

[KingKane]

I am massively disappointed by this, I would suggest that George Lee is massively naive to leave like this as he should have known that politics is a long term project. Yet I can understand the feeling of frustration of not having any proper input into what policies the party even considers, not to mind adopts. People forget that unlike football teams we choose to be members of a political party because of a combination of underlying principles, policies and the personnel to carry them through. I think the Labour party is full of decent, sensible, honourable people but I'm not a member because I don't believe in their approach and worldview. But I'm not married to FG and I'm not going to be a member if the party decides to adopt policies I can't identify with. That is not the at present.

I had suggested prior to this that FG should have changed the front bench to allow Leo, George and Richard tag team on Mary Coughlan and Lenihan. But we should have spent the last 2 years investigating what it is that underpins our policies. Instead we had an announcement about 4 policy areas and then nothing, until last year with the report from Alan Dukes on health policy which is quite good but had no involvement of the members at any stage. So what is the point of being a member? But the other 3 areas...nada.

What this shows up is the lack of political involvement. I've felt it for years but I'm realistic enough to know that it's by chipping away at things that openings and change will happen not big bangs

I think the party has to have a cold hard look at itself, this is part of the reason that it is so hard for younger people to get involved in party politics in Ireland where there is no formal structures for policy based politics.

I'm sure that the initial focus in commentary will be that this raises questions for Enda Kenny as leader, I don't think this really a matter of how Enda has lead the party or his own qualities as leader but moreover for me it raises questions of how Irish politics, is organised generally and more specifically how FG chooses how it does its business.

Just to give one example, over the weekend I was making some last notes to a doc I received about input into the structure of the upcoming national conference that is to take place on March 19/20th. these has to be received by close of business tomorrow Feb 9th. Now given the planning that goes into a conference does anyone really think that these contributions will all be read and processed in time to allow any changes of substance to the conference format? No neither do I. I had tried prior to the Wexford conference to make suggests, but again they got lost in the system and I heard nothing back. I made, along with another person, a presentation to the national exec about new methods of campaigning in 2005 but it again elicited no decision on any action before it was raised with us again a few years later, but that foundered again for odd reasons of process. Frankly speaking, political parties make the public service like speedy and nimble.

FG isn't unique, in Irish politics, in having these problems but it is to FG's own benefit that it would address those problems. That must start right now.

[breakingnews]

What did VB write in a Sunday paper? Anyone tell me please..it was about FG.

[Panopticon]

Funny that, but I don't think the constituents in Tipperary North, Kerry South, Mayo or any other pork run clinic would agree with you....

We, the people, elect you to represent us, not feck off in a huff because you don't get your on way.

I don't care what people who, in all seriousness, keep re-electing Michael Lowry or Beverley Cooper Flynn think. They have foregone their right to respect in my eyes.

The point of a legislator is not to get pork.

[Right Wing Republican]

I remember being out in the RDS last summer when he was elected, and the FG crowd were jumping up and down and singing his name.He was the saviour, he was to be the brains behind the future Government and the stupid ********************ers did even use him. Well done Enda and well done Fine Gael. Party of Government my arse!

[CorkHurler]

he has just been eliminated from the FG website.

www.georgelee.finegael.org - home

Was it Flannery who negotiated his entry to the party? Will he have to resign as well as clearly he didnt do his homework.

[He3]

Enda and Lee come off bad here.

It's the enda George, and might be the enda Enda.

[rockofcashel]

I don't think there is any doubt now that a new political party is required,fg simply aren't up to the job. FF have practically wrecked the country and fg are going on like its just another year in opposition, they should have called a national strike before nama and took the government down.

That would require actually wanting to do something differently. FG don't want to do anything differently, they want "their turn" to do the same things FF do when they are in Government... i.e. nurse the country along, and look after their own supporters in various committees etc

[breakingnews]

Labour are the big winners out of this. Alex White will probably win the by-election and I don't think FG will go down the "celebrity" route again. Kenny should have offered the Mayoral candidacy to Lee. He may have been happy with that. Anyway, hindsight and all that.

Good point, White is probably very happy with this news.

I really don't get why Lee entered the Dail given that as a journalist, he more than any if us knows what it's like to be a TD.

[Rocky]

That post is so wrong on so many levels Rocky..

Explain?

Running for the Dail is a big decision to make and being elected is a big privilege. I can understand that he ran because he wanted to influence Fine Gael economic polices and through that Ireland's economic future and I can understand his frustration at not being able to that.

However he should have done everything that was possible to make it work and to do exactly that. His threats were clearly taken seriously by Fine Gael and although he shouldn't have to make them, he should have given it a chance to see would things change.

[TheTipperaryMan]

anybody who is prepared to shake this cosy cartel up for whatever reason, i salute.

He wont be shaking it from the outside.

What's he going to do now - go back to RTE or write a weekly polemic in the newspaper?

He BLEW it. He's a national laughing stock from now on.

The man was pontificating for years about the unholy mess the country was walking into but when he enters the political stage along with the real movers and shakers he turns tail and runs.