Democratic Left and the Fall of Labour

Labours downward spiral could lay in its embracement of freemarket economics in the 1980's via their Democratic left members. Proinsias De Rossa thought the Workers Parties marxist views hampered its views electorally and saw neo liberal economics as their saving grace . Sean Garland aside, the cabal of ex lefties turned into a new group , the Democratic Left. This consisted of six TDs including Eamonn Gilmore and Pat Rabbitte. At their founding conference they were

democratic socialist party. We believe that the idea of socialism coupled with the practice of democracy provides the basis for the radical transformation of Irish society. We aim to be a feminist party. An environmental party. A party of the unemployed and low-paid. A champion of personal freedom. A friend and ally of the third world. An integral part of the European Left

Soon after 1997 the Democratic left merged with Labour and this inevitably laid the path to the downfall. Liz Mc Manus and Pat Rabbitte became deputy leader and leader respectively and then later on Eamonn Gilmore. Gilmore at this point liked to paint himself as a man of the people, a person of the working classes and anti bourgoise.

Pic from Irish Election Lit!

In a manifesto published in 1992, there are hints of a lean towards neo liberal reforms in places like energy .
http://michaelpidgeon.com/manifestos...0GE%201992.pdf

An Energy Tax, geared to encouraging conservation
and creating extra jobs, could also belp raise additional monies
while achieving desirable social and environmental objectives.

Other things though are more noticeable on terms of housing . Pyrite remedial works and houses built to substandard levels still pop up from time to time. Back in 1992 DL was proposing a redress scheme for those whose buildngs were found to be in a state of disrepair because of substandard works.

Full defects protection legislation is needed for
both owner-occupiers and tenant purcbasers against longer-term
design and construction defects on bebalf of the developer and
local authority. There must be legislation to ensure that bouse
and flat construction is of the bighest standard aod that it
complies with international standards with regard to materials
and safety

The rest of the document reads like a normal socially liberal document one would expect. Increasing corporation tax and better representation for women and fighting the then decriminalisaton of homosexuality which was to eventually come about. When did the DL members in Labour eventually become fully neo liberalists?

While in opposition they were quick to snap at the heals of the government on its policies. Liz Mc Manus has written at length on her blog about the problems in our health system (she has since retired) and this document is a far cry from the current policies of the governemnt where those very same DL members are invovled in cuts to those in the working class. I cant put my finger on it. Is it Labour are now selling their arse to FG for a few scraps from the table of political power and go along with whatever ruse that Hoga,Shatter or Reilly pull out of their arse? There was a pamphlet written around the time of the WP/SL split that predicted the downfall of the Labour party when they 'absorbed' DL .

I apologise if post is slightly disjointed but its an issue worth discussing,chartering the downfall of Labour needs to look at when the DL Quislings sold themselves out....

Cause I can’t change, I can’t change the world alone