tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10968338.post114299324399310630..comments2023-08-11T09:56:34.039+01:00Comments on timrollpickering: Labour - a party for all the country?Tim Roll-Pickeringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12589024696145675963noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10968338.post-1143403562831607382006-03-26T21:06:00.000+01:002006-03-26T21:06:00.000+01:00I agree that Ireland has a Labour Party from Count...I agree that Ireland has a <A HREF="http://www.labour.ie" REL="nofollow">Labour Party</A> from Counties Cork and Wexford to County Donegal, but there isn't really one in Northern Ireland. (The Irish Labour Party hasn't contested a seat in Northern Ireland since Gerry Fitt left in 1964, but with the <A HREF="http://www.labour.ie/northernireland" REL="nofollow">Northern Ireland Labour Forum</A> it is doing more in the province than the British Only Labour Party.) The SDLP only has "Labour" in the title as a means to get Gerry Fitt on board in 1970 and has since shown itself to be a traditional Centre party for the Catholic nationalist community, not a social democratic and labour party at all. In no way is it the successor to the <A HREF="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Ireland_Labour_Party" REL="nofollow">Northern Ireland Labour Party</A> - indeed the <A HREF="http://www.pup-ni.org.uk" REL="nofollow">Progressive Unionist Party</A> has the nearest to a claim to be the heir to Northern Ireland's former Labour Party. They, not the SDLP, have the most to fear from Labour being a party for the entire UK.<BR/><BR/>If there truly isn't much room, why not let Northern Irish Labour members take the decision on whether or not to stand? The Conservatives and Lib Dems both trust their local members - why not Labour?Tim Roll-Pickeringhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12589024696145675963noreply@blogger.com