IEB: FG/Labour unity a big bonus
Wednesday, March 15th, 2006
Say what you will about the detail of the policy document launched by Fine Gael and Labour but you cannot deny that the pre-election pact of the two parties is proving to be an early success in the bid for Government.
As it stands the Progressive Democrats sparked a mini-tussle within the government when Michael McDowell, obviously keen to hedge his bets, said the junior party in the next government coalition would be the real policy makers, rather than the main party. This was McDowell pushing away from the breast of Fianna Fail and giving Kenny a sly wink and a nod to say “we’re ready whenever you are”.
Bertie Ahern responded to these comments by pointing out just how close his party was to a total majority in 2002; not an open invitation to other small parties but a certain sign that Fianna Fail aren’t with the PD’s out of loyalty and will drop them at the first opportunity.
On the other side of the fence Labour leader Pat Rabbitte has refused point-blank to enter government with Fianna Fail, meaning that their only chance of power (save for a huge electoral earthquake) will be with Fine Gael. Kenny has responded kindly to this pledge of allegiance and the two parties have been working increasingly closely since.
It is impossible to equate how this inter-party bond will effect voting patterns or if people will be at all bothered with the friendship of the two party leaders, be it professional, personal or both. Stephen Collins in The Irish Times noted that the chemistry between to the two at the document launch was good; surely something that will help in creating a strong election campaign even if it doesn’t directly enthuse the greater public.
So for the time being Fine Gael and Labour can enjoy their union; they are certainly giving the impression that the agreement is more than political advantagism, even if it is just cynical opportunism. As for the PD’s, they know that any Fine Gael government will be a Labour government, and perhaps a Green government too and thus no matter how much McDowell would like to think it, Fianna Fail are his only rational hope of a return to office. He should certainly be careful not to burn his bridges too soon. Ahern, however, is also on thin ice in the search for coalition partners. Sinn Fein are unlikely to be in the equation, Labour have said they will not consider it, the Green party are unlikely to hold enough clout (especially if FF lose seats, as is expected)… so barring the Independents there’s only one choice. Like it or not, it seems as though, for the time being at least, Fianna Fail and the PD’s are locked into a marriage of convenience and the FG/Lab union is likely to hold an advantage here.
Blogs elsewhere
