Michael McDowell began his tenure as leader of the Progressive Democrats today by insisting the party was not a "spent force" and predicting it would be returned to Government with Fianna Fáil after the next election.
The Minister predicted the Irish electorate would use that election to reject what he described as the "slump coalition" of Fine Gael and Labour, who he said, were "handcuffed together" by the "Mullingar Accord".
from Ireland.com
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Interesting line:
He said the only way they could form a government after the next election would be by forming a coalition with the Green Party and "far-left" independents.
"The entire political enterprise amounts to a recipe for a slump coalition and a return to the politics of failure, paralysis and underacheivement which has always charachterised their periods in office."
"He did not see "any circumstances" in which the PDs would enter a coalition with Fine Gael and Labour.
The only option was a strong, progressive coalition of reform containing the Progressive Democrats and Fianna Fáil."
At last he's a team player!!
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He didn't say that he didn't see any ircumstances that he wouldn't go into coalition with Labour and Fine Gael. He said that he wouldn't take part in a 'slump coalition'. In his own words, the slump coalition is FG and Labour along with a ragbag of assorted far-left independents or the greens.
The standard of excellence is an infinite suggestiveness, naturalism is the one thing to be condemned.
True. Its all in the subtle differences.
Political Compass, July 2007:
Economic Left/Right: 4.88
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -7.03
My slow drift to the right continues....
Good man Mick, might be worth a tenner in Paddy Powers :wink:Originally Posted by David Cochrane
McDowells election is a bad result for the opposition. Seats that were expected to fall to FG could now stay with the PDs. The problem the opposition has is that is is devoid of any ideas. All the different policies will come unstuck in the election.
FF will be the largest party but they and the PDs will not have the numbers to govern. An interesting election looms but even more interesting will be the negotiations post election. FF have virtually been in power for 20 years.
He may not see it that way. On the Last Word today he spoke of little but the Rainbow and how we're all in terrible, terrible danger. It all sounded a little petty and/or hysterical. Surely as a coalition the government can't be feeling quite as 'on the run' as this interview would suggest?
An election is coming. Universal peace is declared and the foxes have a sincere interest in prolonging the lives of the poultry. ~T.S. Eliot
I'd certainly agree with you that this is bad for the opposition. At the very least it will give a nice fillip to the PDs in the run up to the election. It may well cement McDowell in his own constituency breaking his run of win, lose, win lose at each successive election. John Gormley may find that something of a problem.
Coincidence that the news was announced as the Green Party decamped to the countryside to think about policy? Perhaps. Perhaps not.
Whether the numbers won't add up is an interesting question. It's hard not to see this as solidifying at least some PD seats nicely to the detriment of FG. We'll see, still he might well find himself as part of a government looking for the support of other former FF independents, and not just the Fox, Healy Rae crew.
"I like you. You're all right. Actually, I like you better meeting you than if somebody had just given me your record."
Joey Ramone
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Well what do you think he's going to say. I think the fact that he would devote so much time to the opposition just after becoming leader shows us he feels threatened by them and the strong chance of a large lose of FF and PD seats to the Rainbow.
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