Labour leader under pressure over poor polls
A dozen of 51 Labour Party councillors have written to leader Brendan Howlin to seek an urgent meeting with him to discuss his leadership.
The letter, drafted by Dublin South West councillor Mick Duff, and supported by colleagues marks a significant escalation in the level of pressure on Mr Howlin over his failure to address the party’s poor poll ratings.
The understands that the letter from the councillors is demanding Mr Howlin meet with them to discuss the “leadership issue, the core values of the Labour Party, and the increasing disengagement of the membership.”
It is also understood that more councillors are likely to back the call for such a meeting in the coming days.
Attempts to contact Mr Howlin yesterday went unanswered.
Speaking yesterday, Dublin councillor for Tallaght South Martina Genockey defended the calls for Mr Howlin to go, saying the party needs a new approach.
It is the party that needs to be turned around and having a leadership contest would do that. Now is the time for that. A lot of members feel we need a leadership contest at this time to refocus the party,” she said.
“The reason I want a leadership contest is that we need to have people set out a vision for the future. That just isn’t happening at the moment. Brendan has been a great TD and servant to the party but we need to change,” she said.
Dublin City Councillor Dermot Lacey said the party has to refocus, to figure out what has gone wrong with the party.
“The leadership issue has to be addressed. The absence of someone like Alan Kelly from a key leadership role is a major mistake for the party,” he said. “Alan Kelly is the sort of loud voice we need,” he added.
Mr Lacey added his voice to the growing chorus of councillors who have expressed support for Mr Kelly to become leader.
Another Dublin City Councillor Rebecca Moynihan, who is opposed to a change of leadership, described the news of the letter being sent as “disappointing”.
It is disappointing and it is disappointing to hear Labour representatives talking about themselves this way,” she said.
“I am not saying the polls are looking great and like other members I want to see the party survive. I really don’t think focusing on an internal leadership and talking about personalities is the way to go,” she said.
“We must look at why people do not trust us,” she said adding she feels the party is “too defensive” about what it did in government between 2011 and 2016.
Several councillors have said Alan Kelly, the party’s former deputy leader, should take over the leadership of the party to revive its standing.
Donegal councillor, Martin Farren, said Mr Howlin must accept responsibility for the party “being in the doldrums”.
Asked who he would like to lead, Mr Farren was clear in his support for Mr Kelly.
“I would like to see Alan Kelly lead. We need a young, vibrant and energetic person to re-energise the party ahead of the elections coming up,” he said.
Howlin resists growing calls to quit
Labour leader Brendan Howlin has rejected calls to bring forward a meeting with party councillors who want him to resign
Speaking to the , Mr Howlin said he has invited all party members to a meeting in Drogheda on September 16 and that it would be “unreasonable” to bring forward any meeting.
This, bluntly, is a distraction we could do without,” he said.
“The bottom line [is] we are in the middle of holidays. Members of staff are away on holidays. We fixed the date before the summer so people could make arrangements to be available,” he said.
“It is only a few short weeks away. Everyone will have an opportunity there. I want everyone to be in attendance and give people decent notice to be there. Anything else would be unreasonable, don’t you think?”
Mr Howlin was speaking after a dozen of Labour’s 51 councillors had written to him to seek an urgent meeting about the party’s poor poll position.
The letter, drafted by Dublin South-West councillor Mick Duff, marks a significant escalation in the level of pressure on Mr Howlin over his failure to address the party’s poor poll ratings.
The understands the letter demands that Mr Howlin meet with councillors to discuss the “leadership issue, the core values of the Labour Party, and the increasing disengagement of the membership”.
I haven’t received the letter yet. I would like to see it,” said Mr Howlin.
“The bottom line is that we will have a full and open discussion. People have views as to who should be leader. They have had those from the get-go. My focus is on rebuilding the party, reconnecting with people who have been alienated from us.”
