Fine Gael and Labour close to agreeing pact

Fine Gael and Labour are close to agreeing an election voting pact which will see party leaders and canvassers ask voters to give their outgoing coalition colleagues their second vote in some cases.

Labour has held a number of policy forums in recent months where grassroots members made it clear that they were opposed to any joint election manifesto.

However, party sources have confirmed that a voting pact is now on the cards. This was indicated by senior members of government yesterday.

The pact will be confirmed during interviews by senior party figures but TDs and their campaign teams will not be obliged to canvass for the other party on the doorsteps.

It has yet to be decided whether official election material, posters or pamphlets refer to the other party.

A Labour source involved in the party’s election plans explained: “The signal will come from on high. It will then spread out on the ground, on the radio and maybe during canvassing.

“Things [the economy] are getting better. But we need to let people know it is not by accident, that the parties together are due credit. It will be about having a healthy friction in the separate election campaigns.”

Employment Minister Ged Nash yesterday said it was a bit early to be talking about pacts, but that both parties had worked well despite their different ideologies.

He said that Fine Gael transfers had traditionally gone to Labour and vice versa. Mr Nash said that Labour would have its own manifesto. Labour sources say a concern about any pact going into an election would be the loss of focus on the party’s core issues, if it was tied to Fine Gael.

Senior sources in the junior government party stressed that it would be made clear that it would be a voting pact and not a shared policy platform.

“Both sides will ask for number twos. Talks will start in the new term, but this could be introduced late enough in the day,” said the source.

Mr Nash said that Labour leader Joan Burton would be out front and centre for the part’s campaign and that she still commanded huge public support. He also said he hoped the Tánaiste would remain party leader for a whole second term if Labour are returned to power.

Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney yesterday told RTÉ he would encourage voters supporting his party to also vote for Labour.

No decision had been taken on a pact yet, said the Fine Gael minister, but both parties wanted to be re-elected together. It also remained to be seen whether a third political group, such as Independents, may be needed in any returned coalition, he said.