Anger as Gilmore urges voters not to back FG

LABOUR leader Eamon Gilmore faced accusations of using desperate tactics to boost voter numbers last night with criticism over a last-minute letter delivered to south Dublin homes attacking Fine Gael.

The letter, in Gilmore’s name, was promoting first-time Labour local election candidate Richard Humphreys, MEP candidate Proinsias de Rossa and by-election contender Alex White.

Marked as an “important message for voters,” Mr Gilmore said that political change was needed. But he added: “That change cannot be achieved by voting for Fine Gael, who are already well represented in this area by two TDs and a councillor, and whose economic policies would continue the ‘slash and burn’ approach which has had such dire consequences so far.”

TD Olivia Mitchell and local councillor Louise Cosgrave, both referred to in the biting missive, rebuffed the comments saying they were surprised. Both were aware of the letter, delivered to homes in the Stillorgan ward among other areas in recent days.

Ms Mitchell said the tactic had backfired on Labour, with her own party members now openly declaring they would not be passing on preferences at the polls: “We were quite surprised by the line they [Labour] were taking. From talking to my own members in Fine Gael their attitude was they had intended to continue their preference for the Labour party, but they decided instead they would plump [their vote], that’s not what they felt was an appropriate attack on Fine Gael.

“What an assumption to say that we would continue a slash and burn [policy] when we have been the ones criticising the particular approach the Government have been taking on the public finances. In this constituency it was inappropriate and counterproductive. I know Richard well, and normally would have continued on my preferences to him, but when I heard about that I said ‘that’s it’.”

Fine Gael councillor Louise Cosgrave, also a cousin of Richard Humphreys, called the move by Mr Gilmore “disgusting”. She alleged the Labour leader was making a last-minute attempt to draw away the huge support behind by-election candidate George Lee.

“That’s very unfair. It’s strong language. Where do you see Alan Shatter [the other TD referred to] and Olivia Mitchell’s slashing policies? They’re quite the opposite.”

Labour stood over the election letter yesterday, with a spokesman insisting: “We’ve no agreement with any party on votes or anything like it. We’re rivals for votes as far as we’re concerned. We’re perfectly entitled to analyse their performance and their policies in a robust a manner as we see fit and that’s precisely what was going on here.

“We stand over everything that’s in the letter.”