Labour leadership election hots up
Labour Party members are looking for sound ideas, not sound bites, MsDeputy Shortall said.
Labelling MrDeputy Rabbitte the “media darling”, she said the media had unfairly swung in behind him, causing difficulties for the other candidates.
“There is no doubt Pat is the media darling and I have heard commentators suggest that he would be the best person because he would be the most entertaining.
“Politics isn’t about entertaining people. I think it is about reflecting the reality of the world we live in and pursuing the issues we really feel are important,” she said.
MrDeputy Rabbitte remains the favourite with the bookies and many pundits to replace Ruairi Quinn as party leader. But Labour insiders believe MsDeputy Shortall is a threat to his potential vote among the 3,500 party members who will vote next month to elect the leader.
But Mr Rabbitte’s cosy relationship with the media may backfire as the party membership will not be manipulated in their decision-making, according to Ms Shortall.
“I have found certainly in talking to members around the country, the media and the Dublin media in particular, is not going to decide this. Members make up their own minds for their own reasons and I think members of the Labour party members in particular have shown their independence of mind over many years in the decisions that they have taken.
“I don't think they are going to be over influenced by what the media are saying. The media may have their own opinions of who would provide the best entertainment or the best sound bites. But I think by and large our members are looking for sound ideas, rather than sound bites,” she said.
Despite being rated as the outsider in the contest, Ms Shortall said she believes a large number of members are undecided at this point and that there is everything to play for as the race is wide open.
“Our members are looking for a leader who will identify with the issues that are important to them and who will clearly articulate those. They are looking for principle, they are looking for hard work and I think they are looking for plain speaking as well. That is what I am offering,” she said.
Opposed to the ‘old boy’ debating style of politics and opposition parties jumping on every bandwagon, Ms Shortall said politicians generally were too inclined to follow whatever the story in the newspapers is on any particular morning.
“In many ways our agenda is dictated by the media. I want to see the Labour Party’s agenda being dictated by the concerns of the people who support us, by the concerns of our members and by the real world issues that affect people in their everyday lives.”
