Writing in The Belfast Telegraph, Anthony McIntyre seeks to interpret the semaphore between Sinn Fein and Fine Gael, suggesting that:
If Adams goes, Fine Gael will be singing 'Hello Mary Lou'
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| Sinn Fein deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald |
The kites began flying in Thursday's Irish Times. Mary Lou McDonald floated the idea that Sinn Fein will consider another volte face and enter coalition government in Dublin as the junior partner. Gerry Adams, on Friday, duly followed in the same paper with a suggestion that a party ard fheis could easily overturn past policy on the issue.
Past policy, as McDonald had previously insisted, was: "We have said until we are blue in the face that we will not... be propping up any large, conservative party."
Like much else said by Sinn Fein as part of its "bottom line is no bottom line" mode of doing business, such sentiment has been decommissioned. Sinn Fein's willingness to jettison all previous promises in pursuit of office can shock no one. What might surprise is Taoiseach Enda Kenny's aversion to slamming the door closed, instead allowing his own party to catch a glimpse of Sinn Fein at the portal. More importantly, the person he wants Fine Gael to see there is McDonald.
Although some feel that Adams, reminded of his own mortality by the illness of Martin McGuinness, is desperate to end his political career in a plush, ministerial setting and is removing archaic obstacles such as principle, it is more likely that McDonald is being seriously primed to take over from him as party leader.
The semaphore from Sinn Fein to Fine Gael will be transmitting the message that McGuinness standing down as leader of Stormont Sinn Fein heralds an end to the hegemony of martial politicians. If McDonald really believes that serving as junior will allow Sinn Fein to make "tough decisions that reach up into the upper echelons of society", even if no one else does, then she must know it will only happen when Adams is put out to graze.
Fine Gael will not have him on their ranch.
It smacks of 'will anyone take us in'. But the question is why did Mary Lou say it, surely that is a leaders job? Is Sinn Fein sending out a 'udhiyah' or canary to test for deadly gases? Unfortunately in politics the adage 'nothing is what it seems to be', is all too prevalent. However, in this case it may not be so much aimed at Fine Gael rather Fianna Fail who would be a more natural fit.
ReplyDeleteIn the democratic centralism of Sinn Fein, and the Titanomachy, of Mary Lou McDonald and Michelle O'Neill, who would have superiority?
"Fine Gael will not have him on their ranch " would,nt be to sure about that Anthony a chara, they are all cut from the same carpetbaggers cloth ,I,m reminded here of the abstentionist debate cira 84 and tombstone Tombroy Hartleys comment on principle, he said "the only principle that I have is to win " really what he meant was that he had no principles at all, letting six men die needlessly on hungerstrike in pursuit of political ambition says it all , I reckon if the spectre of the RA was,nt hanging over them the quisling presidents cronies would have dumped him long ago his usefulness has long ago past the best before date, maybe he has the keys to that northern bank account or possibly just to much dirt on the rest,it certainly isn't his military history that is a fucking bummer,no matter what Kenny like all the other cute hoors in Irish politics will do whatever it takes to save his own ego and political skin.
ReplyDeleteNothing to do with policy but about what public purse they will rob for personal gain the most. Nothing they say for public consumption means didleysquat. FF - FG coalition proves bar the predictable drama all pigs together in the end.
ReplyDeleteFG tested the water with this notion when all the focus was on McGuinness' retirement....it went relatively unnoticed and McGuinness did mention that he and Adams did discuss their retirement....
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