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A Pretty PD Pickle
Read more about: Progressive Democrats
In a surprise announcement today, Mary Harney announced her decision to quit as leader of the Progressive Democrats.
Obviously, it is early days in terms of knowing who the new leader and Tánaiste will be, but the only real candidates would seem to be Michael McDowell and Liz O’Donnell.
Liz O’Donnell has not served in a government in a long time - since before the last election, and then only as a junior minister. She has less experience than McDowell. She is, however, Harney’s chosen successor - they are very close. She is not close to Bertie Ahern however, given the spat last November in the aftermath of the Ferns Report dealing with the abuse of children by members of the Catholic clergy, where she passed remarks indicating her dislike of Government (meaning Bertie Ahern) being “close to All Hallows”. This did not go down well with Ahern and it would be my opinion that any working relationship between the two would be strained.
As for Michael McDowell…well, we all know McDowell. If he does become the leader of the PDs and the Tánaiste as well, I’d think they were in for real trouble coming towards the General Election. Beyond the confines of a zealous right-wing minority of the middle classes, he is universally despised.
Non-intellectuals despise him for what he is - an intellectual and upper-class. A lot of intellectuals despise him for his populist pandering. He is despised by the pro-immigrant lobby for the citizenship referendum and his anti-immigrant line. Despised by Irish conservatives for being a social liberal, he is equally despised by social liberals for his repeatedly authoritarian laws and approach.
It is a very interesting time in Irish politics, the most interesting in at least 15 years. The General Election is shaping up to be a hell of a fight, but this change of leadership adds greatly to it. Sit tight, we’re in for a great election campaign.
There is a feeling that this announcement today is the start of what will be the longest General Election campaign ever. What odds on O’Donnell to upstage McDowell.
Funny you should ask. Paddy power will give you 8–11
capt.harney leaving the sinking ship before it hits the bleedin rocks
Folks it is the end of the government. Bertie signalled as much as did Harney when both referred to the need for ’stable government’ The PD elect a new leader and Bertie views the program for government as being at an end and require renegotiation and McDowell or whover balks pulls out of government. FF run on a election campaign of it has be us and Labour, and it would suit the PDs to be running against that option, they retain enough seats to be taken seriously and regrow some strength in opposition. At least that is the strategy as Harney and Ahern see it.
From the TV, Fiona wants McDowell as leader, Minihan doesn’t, Parlon suggest he wants McDowell but that is in order that McDowell presides over a loss of seats and Parlon can then take over after the election. Harney, I believe also wants McDowell mainly as it allows him to get the blame for the election result. O’Donnell might let him do the same. But she may recognise there might not be a party left to lead
I’d written about this previously on another site thsat the PDs in order to have any chance to survive the election campiagn had to leave the government but hadn’t seen the manouvre of a leadership contest as the means to do so.