Sir, – Brian O'Brien (Letters, March 9th) suggests that Alan Kelly's involvement with the 2011-2016 government "cannot explain the removal of a leader who was in post for only two years". Why ever not? A wander through Labour's heartland, in urban areas in particular, will elicit deep revulsion of the party based solely on what many saw as a betrayal during that period in government. There are as many examples as you like of that government targeting the least well-off among us with swingeing, and sometimes petty, cuts of supports for those struggling to keep up, while the interests of the wealthy appeared to be stoutly protected.
Labour, in what seems to be a similar misreading of history, is about to make the same mistake in appointing another politician who was also a member of the parliamentary Labour Party during that period and defended, when called upon to do so, the policies being pursued.
It is easy to see why those with ill-will toward the party would rejoice at that prospect. Labour members would do well to be extremely careful from where they take guidance as they ponder who to elect as their next leader. – Yours, etc,
JIM O’SULLIVAN,
Rathedmond,
Sligo.
Sir, – In recent years, all Irish political parties have tended to retreat into a bubble where they focus on what they think the public are concerned about, and not what voters actually tell them they are concerned about. The sole exception to this pattern is Sinn Féin, which closely follows the opinions of voters, ruthlessly following them around the spectrum, even if it means holding contradictory positions on many issues, reaping immense short-term increases in support in the process. It is this “bubble” phenomenon which has caused the Labour Party to remove its leader Alan Kelly, without any evidence that his leadership was the main cause of its flatlining support.
Una Mullally effectively suggests that Labour should double down on this bubble mentality by transforming itself into the party of childcare (Opinion & Analysis, March 7th). But what evidence is there that childcare is a defining issue for a critical mass of voters? The Irish Times exit poll conducted at the last general election in 2020 found that just 3 per cent of the electorate, and 4 per cent of Labour voters, viewed childcare as their main issue of concern. By following your columnist's advice, Labour could be going down yet another cul de sac.
At the end of the day, Labour’s decline has not been caused by its leader, or water charges, or its coalition with Fine Gael which, in political terms, ended a lifetime ago – all beliefs which exist in the Leinster House bubble. Its decline has been caused by the party’s abandonment of its urban working class support base over the last 20 years, and its fascination with niche issues such as removing religious patronage from schools which, though of enormous concern in academic circles, are of absolutely no interest to ordinary voters around the country.
Until Labour faces up to these realities, we can expect its revolving-door leadership to continue. – Yours, etc,
BARRY WALSH,
Clontarf,
Dublin 3.
A chara, – Perhaps a way for the Labour Party to move ahead would be to form an alliance with similar parties north and south of the Border. Why not unite with the Social Democrats and with the SDLP to create an all-Ireland Social Democratic and Labour Party?
It would allow all elements to keep their name and also provide a new surge in left-of-centre politics, with the added dimension of it being an all-Ireland move. – Is mise,
SEANÁN Ó COISTÍN,
Trier,
Germany.
Sir, – Alan Kelly was Miriam Lord’s TD of the year for 2020, citing such impressive performances as “stealing the thunder” of Mary Lou McDonald and his clinical questioning of the Taoiseach and Tánaiste on many occasions. It is a mystery to me that 2022 has suddenly become his annus horribilis. A year is an eternity in politics. – Yours, etc,
JOHN M LEONARD,
Corbally,
Limerick.