From confession box to ballot box for Labour
“I have a confession to issue here,” Mr Howlin began in the true Lenten spirit of a sinner in the confession box.
“I don’t believe that Labour will have the majority in the next Dáil so I don’t believe all of this can be in the programme for government,” Mr Howlin repented at the launch of his party’s manifesto, which suitably was held in a chapel on the grounds of DIT’s Grangegorman campus.
Simply put, the party can make all the progressive and ambitious policy promises they like, but Fine Gael members are still reassured in the knowledge that these policies will never come to pass.
In order to appeal to the public and avoid major attrition of votes to left-leaning Independents, the AAA, and Sinn Féin, Labour must separate themselves from Fine Gael.
They are also being forced to keep the Coalition — as well as Fine Gael’s recovery — going. The problem is that the more they stray away from Fine Gael’s centre-right policies, the more they stand to lose when they jump back into bed with Enda Kenny and co after the election.
Their manifesto, which Ms Burton yesterday described as “radical and responsible”, is at odds with many of Fine Gael’s proposals; meaning someone will lose out — and if the previous five years are anything to go by, it will more than likely be the smaller party.
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As Sinn Féin yesterday launched a billboard highlighting Labour’s “broken promises” during the last government, the party launched an extensive list of promises that it won’t be able to keep. One of the strongest proposals set out in Labour’s 132-page manifesto document (slightly shorter than Fine Gael’s 136 — they are on the back foot already) is the commitment to hold a referendum on repealing the Eight Amendment.
Fine Gael’s manifesto only commits to a citizens’ assembly to examine the Eighth Amendment, which provides equal status to a mother and her unborn child.
Although Ms Burton’s party were able to place enough pressure on their senior coalition partners on same-sex marriage, the possibility of allowing a vote on repealing the Eighth would likely be a step too far for Fine Gael, and a citizens’ assembly is an easy way of keeping both sides happy but still kicking the issue down the road.
Labour also go further on healthcare, promising free GP care to all by 2021. Fine Gael more wisely opt to limit their promise to free GP care to all children. Introducing free GP care to the under-6s and over-70s was met with sustained opposition from doctors across the country. So any extension, even if it is only to those under the age of 18, will require intense negotiations around a new contract. Fine Gael knows this will be problematic, so much so that they have inserted the caveat in their manifesto stating this is “subject to negotiations with GPs”.
Fine Gael have been shrewd enough to only make a half-promise on GP care, while Labour have naively laid their cards out on the table.
Labour are more ambitious when it comes to raising the minimum wage, increasing the State pension, and on garda recruitment. Both parties have set targets, both have published their numbers in black and white, but only one party’s figures can be used.
In 2011 Labour, after winning a historic 37 seats, walked into coalition talks with a confident swagger of a poker player holding a royal flush. This time around, the Tánaiste’s cards are so limited she has been forced to show her hand even before the election is held.
In a desperate bid to regain some sort of power, she yesterday appealed to voters to provide Labour with a “strong hand” going into negotiations and into government with Fine Gael.
Their manifesto may contain proposals that are radically different to Fine Gael, but the bottom line is they will never come to pass and Labour know that.
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