Slash and Cut

Draconian cuts dictated by David Cameron’s Tory-led British government … It is quite clear that the Stormont partners are more than happy with thousands of job losses and severe cuts to crucial services and benefits for those already amongst the most disadvantaged members of our community … London’s orders will only serve to protect the profits of many of those individuals and institutions most responsible for the economic losses that have occurred - Mairtin og Meehan

Anyone thinking Sinn Fein should be taken seriously as providing some form of alternative to the economic debacle that prevails in the South should now be seeing what a colossal figment of the imagination that was. Based on absolutely nothing of substance to begin with, the litmus test that would invalidate the belief was always going to be the party’s response to the issue of cuts in the North. This is hardly an original insight on my part. I am merely echoing the Sinn Fein activist ‘Mellows’ who in a post on the radical blog ‘Sinn Fein Keep Left’ titled ‘Brilliant Pearse - Now Marty don't fail us now', boldly stated:

However, in the North Sinn Féin is in a position of power and is being told by London to make budget cuts of 4 Billion pounds. If Sinn Féin agrees to implementing cuts of this nature, then what the hell are we doing down the South. We cannot oppose cuts in the South and implement them in the North. If we do we will loose all credibility with the Irish people, and what is worse is that we will be seen as liars. Sinn Féin must fight for working people North and South and it must refuse to implement the cuts in the Six counties.

It comes no clearer than that. Criticisms of the party can hardly be dismissed in the usual way as the work of malcontents out to rob the party leader of his glory if people within Sinn Fein are making pointed observations of this nature.

Conor Murphy’s pathetic attempt to put a radical sheen on his party’s Tory credentials should wash with few:

We wanted to continue to protect society here, to continue to adhere to the elements of the programme of government which we collectively had put together and that was to grow the economy, to protect the most vulnerable in society. I think we have managed through very difficult work over the past number of weeks - and it has not been easy at all for any of the parties - we have managed to supplement what was a savage programme of cuts to try and protect what was important to us.

Because in the cold light of day Murphy’s party was up to its neck in the Tory slash and cut assault on the people of the North. Yet what is Sinn Fein in the South saying about this? Nothing it seems.

Watching Pearse Doherty last evening on RTE it was hard not to be impressed with him. He asks the right questions and presses the right buttons. But it is a foregone conclusion that if he and his more radical colleagues do not establish an autonomy that allows them to firewall their radicalism from the right wing slash and cut Northern leadership Adams will screw him into the ground. And the signs are not good. If he is serious about his radical discourse it is incomprehensible that he has been silent up to now about his party’s Tory driven economic assault on the Northern populace which it is certain to repeat in the South and justify with a Murphyism.

Doherty is a much better performer than Adams. He relies on argument rather than hectoring and bullying and is literate about economic matters in a way that Adams most definitely is not. Because of that he is viewed by Adams as someone who can entice an electorate suspicious of a party it perceives as economically illiterate, to expose its neck to the Master’s fangs.

Once sucked dry it will be abandoned.

20 comments:

  1. What a brilliant closing paragraph. On an icy solstice winter's night, all the more chilling. Slash and cut and fang and pierce indeed; your metaphorical extension of The Master's domination of the forces of darkness lengthens, even on this day of shortened shadows.

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  2. I think Ed Moloney's latest piece on the SF 'property speculators' is going to ruffle a few feathered nests. Only economy many of them understand is in their own pockets. Ourselves Alone alright.

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  3. AM-

    can't see anyone cut their support
    from Sinn Fein because of the
    recent budget at the parliament on the hill- the people have already spoken as there were no major protests- unlike in dublin and london over the last few weeks- and
    good luck to those people,

    It was Sinn Fein who made sure there was no water tax- the torys
    and unionists wanted this tax-
    It would have been easy to force the d.u.p to do a 1 year emergency
    budget to get over next years elections but Sinn Fein does not take the easy road.

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  4. Good article, SF as always performing for the ´moment´.


    martydownunder
    what was the latest piece by Maloney? wouldn´t mind getting a decco at that.

    Merry xmas all.

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  5. There were protests on the 17th, as part of the ETUC day of action. Quite a few were cancelled because of the deteriorating weather conditions, but lunchtime leafleting went ahead at numerous workplaces around the Six Counties. The BBC gave a bit of coverage to NIPSA.

    Clearly SF's "opposition" to imposing such a budget was nothing but empty posturing.

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  6. It's interesting seeing Conor Murphy's defence of the 2008-2011 programme for government when you consider, as the likes of éirígí have mentioned on a number of occasions, that the Stormont parties "had already agreed to £1.65 billion [€2 billion] of cuts in public expenditure" as part of that programme. There's been a cuts agenda at the heart of Stormont for a while now.

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  8. Larry,
    http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/opinion/news-analysis/ira-not-only-benefited-from-the-republics-property-boom-they-helped-to-create-it-15034624.html

    See also there Eamon McCann has mentioned again that he interviewed Scully regarding Rick O'Rawes Blanketmen claims

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  9. michaelhenry, Sinn Fein signed up for the introduction of water charges.
    Granted, Conor Murphy has asked for another three year deferral, hardly the same thing as not wanting to charge.
    Unscrupulous, Murphy has'nt a clue and his boss is going to sort out the South.
    I hope the people stick together and go with a mass campaign of non-payment, bet you anyhing michaelhenry that Sinn Fein will tell people to pay, watch this space.

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  10. 'Slash and Cut' sounds menacing!
    Sinn Fein already predicted the economic downturn in the South, well according to the Rep news.
    Vultures, quite easy to picture Adams and McGuinness picking over the bones of the less fortune, a few cheques curtesy of Ben Dunne in their pockets.
    The shinners, apparently only like small donations, according to Ben.
    They must want to leave him a few quid for the old cocaine.
    Apparently he was cracking jokes with them about his kidnap, bet the Master found that really hilarious, especially when he asked for a 'refund'
    Clearly stoned, or he will be if he keeps making them sort of jokes around that pair.

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  11. Mackers, 'Slash and Cut' would actually be a good name for them sort of like a modern day Burke and Hare, big G would definitely be 'Slash'

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  12. bet you anyhing michaelhenry that Sinn Fein will tell people to pay, watch this space.

    That's what they said in early 2007 Fionnuala, before the charges were deferred. They were doing a lot of scaremongering using the memory of the rent and rates strike. Expect the same again next time around.

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  13. Cracroi, Alex Maskey was warning people that non-payment could result in them being blacklisted.
    The people in the South refused to pay and they had to scrub the water rates, now the shinners are British ministers they will not rock any boats as only the Master can walk on water.
    Merry Christmas.

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  15. Michaelhenry,

    The poorest class
    can kiss my ass
    I've got the ministerial post
    at last

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  17. AM you can rhyme
    Ireland needs Sinn Fein time
    will complaints be seen as crime
    Irish to win all to be fine

    Away to the pub now for beer and wine

    Who will break the christmas ceasefire on the Quill- my money
    with the queens head [ i know ]
    is on mise eire

    Sinn Fein has ministerial posts over the last 10 years or so- and a couple of years arond the 20s and a few years to come.

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  18. martydownunder
    cheers for that have been in front of tv with sangria and turkey last 5 days...be glad to get home.....?

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