Labour and English Imagery.
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A curious thing of late is the use of English references to degrade an opponents. Previously it was Alan Kelly MEP with his references to 700 years, Kilmainham Gaol and the Union Jack a press release that even now looking back on is shocking. But that has not been the last of it. In two recent releases Eamon Gilmore and Sean Sherlock have invoked the image of the Tories to taint the reputation of Fianna Fail.
From Eamon Gilmore
Fianna Fáil are the Celtic Tories.
And now from Sean Sherlock
Old Guard ‘Celtic Tories’ have shafted Ireland’s Youth
It is interesting how Sean Sherlock picked up on that phrase out of the 3,189 word speech by Gilmore as his headline for his release. How he didn’t pick up the Fianna Fail are no longer the party of Lemass phrase which is to my mind a more powerful invoking image. (i.e. Fianna Fail are not the party that sort us out in the 60s) Instead the phrase that is pulled out is “Celtic Tories”. Immediately equating Fianna Fail with the probably the most disliked of English parties( for Historical Reasons) rather then saying the Celtic Republican party which with Iraq War, Global Economic Collapse, George Bush and Sarah Palin is more of an insult. But what the phrase Celtic Republican party does not invoke is the image of England, the auld enemy, of “West Brits”.
Well there will be plenty of name calling in the new year when senior members of the Labout party executive (Jack O’Connor, David Begg etc) lead the public service on some sort of new-age communist revolution where the public service go on strike until the democratically elected government bow to their demands and/or are overthrown.
Listening to the Christmas songs on the radio this morning I couldn’t help thinking of a new number one for Cheistmas:
Begg Aid 2010:
It’s recession time; but there’s no need to be afraid
At recession time, we let in allowances and we banish reform
And in our world of expenses we can wear a smile of joy
Throw your arms around the red flag at recession time
But say a prayer to pray for the other ones
At recession time
It’s hard, but when we’re out on strike
There’s a world outside your picket line
And it’s a world of dread and fear
Where the only money flowing is the bitter sting of welfare
And the Christmas bells that ring there
Are St Vincent de Paul at the door
Well tonight thank Marx it’s them instead of you
And there won’t be increments in industry this recession time
The only gift they’ll get this year is P45
Oh, where unions never go, no pension or expenses flow
Do we know its recession time at all?
Here’s to you, raise a glass to Jack O’Connor
Here’s to them, slaving in the private sector
Do we know its recession time at all?
Fleece the private sector
Let them know its expenses time again
Screw the taxpayer
Let them know its increment time again
Feck the elected government
Let them know its strike time again
Feed the public sector
We don’t care its recession time again
It has nothing to do with evoking a hatred of Britain. FF are pursuing a Thatcherite agenda and applying Thatcherite “solutions” to our economy. Hence the phrase “Celtic Tories”…
Why then Joseph did Gilmore not refer to Thatcher in the whole 3,189 word speech. There is more to Tory policies then Thatcher. Hence why thatcherite policies are called tatcherite and not Torite policies.
@Colm – David Begg isn’t a member of the National Executive of the Labour Party. I don’t think he has ever been.
Since the Tories have been praising the budget since Wednesday and have described it as a ’shining example’ of what should be done economically I don’t think it is very correct to draw comparisons between FF & the Tories
dislike for the tories is more the historical
Simon, one reason is that our media is in thrall to the politics of our larger neighbours for years. Equating things to what happens overseas works for them better than expecting too many of them to be familiar with our own history.
which project announcements in communications is she talking about?
“The party of Lemass” has very little or no meaning for me, approaching 40, and I suspect it has no more meaning for most people younger than me. It may mean something to those interested in local politics, but not to most voters.
Simon,
Politicians and parties who resort to this level of cheap populist jibing that seeks to pander to our innate prejudices do it because they’ve (a) run out of any argument of substance, or (b) don’t possess the imagination or intelligence to come up with anything better.
Anyway, I would have thought that, with Jack O’Connor leading them by the nose, the Labour Party has enough problems of its own without worrying if there’s a reverse takeover of Fianna Fail by the British Conservatives in prospect!
“innate prejudices” its perfectly reasonable for people to have a problem with Tory policies, and it was more then just thatcher who implemented Thatcherite polices
he was hardly going to say Celtic New Labour
Perhaps its because the alternative to the Tories is Labour.
What? You think politics is about substance? That’s sort of charming but a bit bizarre.
Veronica,
If you think Eamon Gilmore or the Labour Party are being lead by the nose by Jack O’Connor, I suggest you read some of Gilmore’s speeches to trade union conferences- or to the Dáil for that matter.
Joseph,
I was thinking of Gilmore’s RTE interview yesterday, in fact.
Let’s not forget Noel Dempsey’s evocation of Cromwell at the last Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis.
Mar dhea patriotism being last refuge of the scoundrel, and all.
This is so ironic from the supposedly ‘multiculturalist’ Labour party, that are always accusing others of racism and xenophobia.
criticising tory policies is not xenophobic
No but playing the anti-English card is, post-GFA.
ok comparing ff policies to tory policies is not xenophobic
The British Labour Party are the only party who can call themselves “The Labour Party” or “Labour”. Yet the Irish Labour Party seem to be called Labour repeatedly. This is disingenious – like the party position on just about everything.
Apart from that we are seeing the usual PR stunts from the Irish Labour Party (ILP).
Maybe Gilmore wants the electorate to see a resemblance between him and the idiot running Britain at the moment. Both make promises that they don’t understand.
Both claim to be economic geniuses when they are economic dunces.
Both are patronizing wasters.
The term ‘Celtic Tories’ was used to paint FF as a Thatcherite anti-union party. Do you think most people would have gotten the Lemass reference? Sherlock’s release was concerning young people; many of them would be aware of the Tories policies in the 80s, how many would be aware of Lemass?
While I agree that Alan Kelly’s release is pretty shocking stuff, not every negative comparison with something English is age old xenophobia.