Politics

Alan Kelly: ‘I must be the most over psychoanalysed politician’

Tipperary TD ‘upset and annoyed’ three people decided leader for 4,000 members

Tipperary TD Alan Kelly said on Monday he was ‘upset and annoyed’ at the way the appointment of Brendan Howlin as Labour Party leader was handled. Photograph: Cyril Byrne/The Irish Times
Tipperary TD Alan Kelly said on Monday he was ‘upset and annoyed’ at the way the appointment of Brendan Howlin as Labour Party leader was handled. Photograph: Cyril Byrne/The Irish Times
Vivienne Clarke
Mon May 23 2016 - 20:08

Alan Kelly has said he "must be the most over-psychoanalysed politician ever".

Responding to the media coverage of his failure to secure a seconder for his nomination to enter the Labour Party leadership race, the Tipperary man said yesterday he was "upset and annoyed. My issue was the lack of democracy – that three people got to decide for 4,000 members.

“I think a contest would have been the right thing to do. The party’s constitution is not fit for purpose and was written for a larger party. It has left us in an unusual situation where three TDs got to make a decision for 4,000 party members.”

Mr Kelly was prevented from entering the leadership race because he could not secure a seconder among the other six Labour TDs. With outgoing leader Joan Burton and party chairman Willie Penrose staying out of the nomination process, the decision fell to just three TDs.

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“It’s very clear that one particular TD wanted to facilitate a contest,” Mr Kelly said. “Jan [O’Sullivan] told me on numerous occasions she favoured a contest. I mean she might have supported Brendan but she favoured a contest.”

Responding to Mr Kelly’s interview, Ms O’Sullivan said on Monday night: “I never told Alan I would facilitate a contest by proposing or seconding him, I supported the person I believed best suited for the job.”

Mr Kelly failed to show at a press conference at which Brendan Howlin was unveiled as the new leader.

“I didn’t want to take from his day. I wanted the focus to be on him, not me. I have no real issue with him as leader. I would have no problem with contesting an election and losing it. It was the lack of democracy.”

When asked on Tipp FM if it might be prudent to tone down his style, Mr Kelly said: “I must be the most over-psychoanalysed politician ever. I am going to play a massive role in the future of the Labour party. I am brash, upfront and opinionated – anyone who is in politics has to be.”

Mr Kelly has said Mr Howlin is planning to give him a senior role in rebuilding the party and that the two planned to meet during the week. “Organisation is one of my key strengths,” he said.