What should Labour do?

[Maguire01]

It's not going to be easy for Labour and if they do go in with FG, they will have to put up with constant sniping from the 'left' on the opposition benches. They also run the risk of ending up like the Greens.

Labour could also stay out of Government, although that might not help them in 5 years either.

What would people prefer? For example, would SF supporters prefer for Labour to stay out and FG to try and go it alone, either as a minority government, or with help from right-wing independents? Or would it be better if Labour were there to at least 'temper' the impact of FG?

At the end of the day, the public has elected a 'right' majority, so is it better to let them work away on their own, or join them and win some concessions?

[Rossfan]

At this time of National crisis it behoves the 2 parties who got most of the votes to form a Government.

[seafoid]

I wouldn't join the Government. Think of all the cuts and the money that is going to keep going into the banks. Play it long.
FG could get wiped out at the next election. There are enough right wingers to make a majority.   

[Maguire01]

For the record, I agree that they should go in with FG. They got their mandate on the understanding that they would go in with FG. Those who voted for Labour will have known that this will mean compromises on their manifesto.

[Maguire01]

I wouldn't join the Government. Think of all the cuts and the money that is going to keep going into the banks. Play it long.
FG could get wiped out at the next election. There are enough right wingers to make a majority.

But that would arguably be the selfish thing to do - putting the party ahead of the country.

[anluabu2]

Labour have returned a much larger number of TD;s to the dail based on the promises they made to the electorate, seeing as they are polar opposites on many FG issues they are going to have to make some tough decisions that may cost them in the end and they suffer a fate similar to the greens

although imo i think the greens were left in the dark on a lot of what was going on by biffo & Co and they should have made it known to the public!

[Maguire01]

Labour have returned a much larger number of TD;s to the dail based on the promises they made to the electorate, seeing as they are polar opposites on many FG issues they are going to have to make some tough decisions that may cost them in the end and they suffer a fate similar to the greens

But surely also in the knowledge that they were going to be in a coalition and as such, could never implement all of their manifesto. But FG will also have to compromise on their plans.

[stephenite]

I wouldn't join the Government. Think of all the cuts and the money that is going to keep going into the banks. Play it long.
FG could get wiped out at the next election. There are enough right wingers to make a majority.

But that would arguably be the selfish thing to do - putting the party ahead of the country.

Don't kid yourself, these guys go into politics for power, and neither have had it for a while. Labour and Fine Gael will make a big play of negotiations etc. but the reality will be is each party are just working out who will have what power

[muppet]

I wouldn't join the Government. Think of all the cuts and the money that is going to keep going into the banks. Play it long.
FG could get wiped out at the next election. There are enough right wingers to make a majority.

But that would arguably be the selfish thing to do - putting the party ahead of the country.

Don't kid yourself, these guys go into politics for power, and neither have had it for a while. Labour and Fine Gael will make a big play of negotiations etc. but the reality will be is each party are just working out who will have what power

A manifesto is irrelevant once the voting stops.

[Maguire01]

I wouldn't join the Government. Think of all the cuts and the money that is going to keep going into the banks. Play it long.
FG could get wiped out at the next election. There are enough right wingers to make a majority.

But that would arguably be the selfish thing to do - putting the party ahead of the country.

Don't kid yourself, these guys go into politics for power, and neither have had it for a while. Labour and Fine Gael will make a big play of negotiations etc. but the reality will be is each party are just working out who will have what power

Yes, but having power isn't necessarily a negative thing. There's no shame in wanting power if it's used properly. There's no point in having policies but not fighting for the power to try and implement them.

[stephenite]

I think that's kind of my point, these guys might have good intentions of using power properly, but I just feel that the main motivation is more in the getting of power as opposed to how they will use it.

To the thread title about what should Labour do, it's an interesting topic, but Labour will take power and to hell with the ideology every single time.

[Maguire01]

To the thread title about what should Labour do, it's an interesting topic, but Labour will take power and to hell with the ideology every single time.

But better to take the power and implement some of the policies or stand aside and fail to implement any?

[stephenite]

To the thread title about what should Labour do, it's an interesting topic, but Labour will take power and to hell with the ideology every single time.

But better to take the power and implement some of the policies or stand aside and fail to implement any?

OK, yeah of course it is better implement some of your policies.

I'm in a fairly cynical mood this morning and prob very unfair but I'm just struggling with the concept of any mainstream politician entering politics in order to serve the national interest or for the good of others. It's power that counts but not to implement your policies, it's for powers sake and the various forms of self gratification that results from that, be it financial gains or to massage an ego.

[INDIANA]

I hope they dont. I want to see the public sector slashed.

[muppet]

To the thread title about what should Labour do, it's an interesting topic, but Labour will take power and to hell with the ideology every single time.

But better to take the power and implement some of the policies or stand aside and fail to implement any?

OK, yeah of course it is better implement some of your policies.

I'm in a fairly cynical mood this morning and prob very unfair but I'm just struggling with the concept of any mainstream politician entering politics in order to serve the national interest or for the good of others. It's power that counts but not to implement your policies, it's for powers sake and the various forms of self gratification that results from that, be it financial gains or to massage an ego.

This is what both the opposition and the media are supposed to protect us from. Over the last 5 years sections of the media became part of the problem. I should point out that not all of them did, read the books by the likes of Matt Cooper, Fintan O'Toole and in particular Shane Ross for evidence of that.