Labour Party rules out pre-election pact at party’s national conference

Labour has ruled out agreeing to a pre-election pact and says a snap vote is now likely in the coming months where the party hopes to double its numbers in the Dáil.

Speaking at @labour #lp18 @BrendanHowlin praises @KHumphreysDBS on his campaigning to regulate short term lets and slates the government for their failures on housing health and climate change #aNewRepublic pic.twitter.com/KI3RtUdunN

— Cathal McCann (@Cathal_McCann) November 2, 2018

Leader Brendan Howlin made the remarks as he also launched an attack on presidential candidate Peter Casey as well as Transport Minister Shane Ross.

The party is holding its national conference in Dublin this weekend, where housing, women’s health, and workers’ pay will dominate the agenda.

One motion debated today will consider whether the party, after the next general election, would enter a coalition or agree to a confidence and supply arrangement with “like-minded” groups.

Mr Howlin, speaking at the opening in the Ballsbridge Hotel, Dublin, said an election is now likely before next May.

“We obviously are facing a general election sometime in the coming months. My own judgement on it is that it will be sooner rather than the European or local elections.”

“We have 23 Dáil candidates selected, we will be selecting more,” he said.

“We will be entering into no pre-election pact with anybody. We will campaign on a very clear Labour Party policy platform. We will set out issues that are fundamental to us. If, in the event that people want to talk to us subsequent to a general election and we have sufficient strength to advance those policies, then we will talk on the basis of those policies.”

Red line issues for such a political pact would be fleshed out over the weekend, he added.

This weekend’s party conference will, for the first time, allow one vote for one member.

Mr Howlin said the recent landslide second term win for Michael D Higgins as President, a former Labour minister, also gave the party “strong hope” about its future.

He said the party was hopeful of returning TDs in double-digit numbers, up from its seven members, after the next general election.

Separately, Mr Howlin launched an attack on political figures in his opening speech last night.

He criticised Mr Ross and his work on BusConnects and his record on transport.

Mr Howlin also criticised Mr Casey, the presidential runner-up.

Mr Higgins’ campaign contrasted with “Peter Casey’s Trump tactics”.

“Grabbing headlines by picking what vulnerable group to bully next,” said Mr Howlin.

Labour will, over the weekend, discuss its proposal for 80,000 homes to be built over five years at a cost of €16bn, as well as the need to implement the promised 10-year health plan.