RTE appoint Ganley as "leader" of No Campaign

[Podolski]

In the introduction to the "This Week" news / current affairs programme on RTE Radio 1 today the presenter said the programme would include an interview with the "leader" of the No campaign on the Lisbon Treaty. In the past few minutes that "leader" has turned out to be Declan Ganley of the recently formed Libertas group.

There is currently no leader of the "No" campaign for the referendum on the Lisbon Treaty therefore RTE has no right to proclaim anybody as holding such a title, real or otherwise.

The campaign will be composed of a number of disparate groups, some already known, others are still deciding their final policy platform. This will include political parties and existing campaign groups including the Peace & Neutrality Alliance (PANA).

During the Nice Treaty referendums RTE decided that Declan Barrett was the voice of the "No" Campaign without any reference to the number of people he represented or any other verifiable parameter.

Libertas are campaigning for a "No" vote on Lisbon for their own reasons, which may be different to other groups. They do not hold any leadership position over those other groups nor is there any evidence that they are numerically superior although it is already clear that they are well funded, but that doesn't give them or Declan Ganley leadership.

Before anyone goes to merge this with the other thread on Liberas and Ganley - this thread is about RTE's decision to appoint Ganley as "leader" of the No campaign and I would ask that it remain a separate thread.

[Helium Three]

Agreed and you are right to jump on this distortion by RTE. It is at best lazy and in any case simply and obviously factually wrong.

Who will they call the leader of the Yes campaign?

[Trampas]

RTE and Irish Times will have to find somebody to demonise. Expect the funding of the No campaign to be a major issue - as opposed to the funding of the Yes campaign, which will of course be squeaky clean.

[Podolski]

You mean the funding of Libertas, not the funding of the No Campaign (most of which has little or no money)

[clareman51]

RTE can accept me as the leader of the Maybe Campaign. Though whether
maybe yes or maybe no is open to discussion.

[Trampas]

You mean the funding of Libertas, not the funding of the No Campaign (most of which has little or no money)

I take your point - although it is too early to say how the funding of the other strands of the No campaign will go.

[CookieMonster]

You mean the funding of Libertas, not the funding of the No Campaign (most of which has little or no money)

As Dave has pointed ouy numerous times before, the funding of Libertas is subject to the 1997 Electoral Act.

[kim chi]

If the alternatives are that Ganley or Gerry Adams are to be styled Leaders of the Campaign, I wish to announce my availability for the position.

I have eminently suitable credentials, having voted NO in every EU referendum since I was old enough to vote. Is there anyone else on this site who can make such a boast? I am not a Johnny Come Lately like some of those who are now blustering about the Lisbon Treaty.

I also oppose EU militarism, as embodied in the lunatic plans to create an EU army for foreign adventures and interventions. My record on this is consistent, since the days when I marched to protest the EU/NATO murderous bombing campaign in Yugoslavia almost a decade ago, a killing spree that left many hundreds, if not thousands, dead.

And of course, as may be known to some readers, I have a fine record of defending the sovereignty of individual nations on such things as Mass Immigration, cultural integrity, social policy etc.

I know little of Ganley, but could the clown Adams match my record even to the slightest degree? Of course not, so I hope we don't see his stupid face grinning from posters during the campaign.

[CookieMonster]

However, having met both Ganley and Adams neither of them are raving racist loons, so they both have you beat on that point.

And apart from your ranting here, nobody has ever heard of you (thankfully) so perhaps they might go with a "no" on your proposal, at least it's consistant with your voting record, eah?

[DeGaulle]

Perhaps RTE will stage a debate like the election debates. You could have Brian Cowen, Richard Bruton and Éamonn Gilmore for the Yes side and Declan Ganly, Gerry Adams and Justin Barrett for the No side. That would be interesting.