Kieran Allen vs. Gay Mitchell, the Last Word

[oceanclub]

I tuned into the Last Word on Friday to find Kieran Allen and Gay Mitchell on, debating the Lisbon Treaty. Nothing too odd about that.

Except that Matt Cooper made a point of introducing Gay Mitchell as being a member of Fine Gael, but at no point mentioned that Kieran Allen is one of the leaders of (they have a "central committee" rather than single head) of the Socialist Workers' Party. And they can't plead ignorance, since I texted in this point.

Instead, Matt said that Allen was from something called "voteno.ie". Judging by the fact that both people running this site are the SWP, it wouldn't be crazy to suggest it's yet another SWP front. (In fact, they initially hid their affiliation - see this thread: https://www.indymedia.ie/article/85807)

This isn't new, of course. When Richard Boyd Barrett runs for election, he's always said to be from People Before Profit. No mention of his SWP affiliations.

Now, I know that SWP follow a policy of entryism (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entryism), so this is par for the course. But why does the media indulge their pretense?

P.

[eurosceptic]

By the same token i find it odd that AFE members are never properly addressed as EM-I. since AFE is just a means for EM-I to avoid the McKenna judgement as EM-I are funded by the taxpayer.

[juanpablo]

Does it matter? really does it? are the points made by Kieran Allen as a representative of a website/campaign any more/less valid then if he makes them as a member of a fringe political party? or as a tripped out sociology lecturer?

[oceanclub]

Does it matter? really does it? are the points made by Kieran Allen as a representative of a website/campaign any more/less valid then if he makes them as a member of a fringe political party? or as a tripped out sociology lecturer?

I actually think people's associations do matter and should be mentioned. For example, I think most people would consider it dishonest if Matt Cooper interviewed someone from a web site concerned about immigration, without listeners being being told the person was also the head of the white Nazi group Stormfront.

P.

[pbp]

I actually think people's associations do matter and should be mentioned. For example, I think most people would consider it dishonest if Matt Cooper interviewed someone from a web site concerned about immigration, without listeners being being told the person was also the head of the white Nazi group Stormfront.

P.

Are you suggesting that there is some comparison between K Allen/SWP and stormfront?
Thats really stretching it!

[FutureTaoiseach]

Maybe it's because the SWP is not a registered political party?

[Supermanpolitician]

Well if Kieran Allen had ever been elected to anything he might merit more of an introduction.

[Rebelman]

By the same token i find it odd that AFE members are never properly addressed as EM-I. since AFE is just a means for EM-I to avoid the McKenna judgement as EM-I are funded by the taxpayer.

They were never the same organisation, I for one have never been a member of EM-I that said if I could afford the €50 membership I probably would apply to join, but being currently unemployed and seriously broke / in debt this is highly unlikely in the short term.

[eurosceptic]

Publish your accounts rebelman, stop hiding behind libertas!