THE ELECTION SLOGANS of the three main parties in the Southern Irish general election are 'Give us the go-ahead', and 'We do a better job' meaningless apolitical banalities. Yet when the results of the election are known this weekend they will bring to a close what many commentators have described as the most crucial election in the history of the southern Irish state.
One statistic debt per head of the population in the south of Ireland is higher than Poland's.
So ingless slogans, and we may voters apathetic and cynical about the whole business?
The answer is that even by the standards of capitalist parties there is little difference the recent recoras or promises or eno Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Labour parles Fianna Fail is the traditiona Republican and it will win most seats LAUS Weekend That does not mean that it will form the government.
It won most seats at the last election seven months ago, but ended up in opposition the coalition between Fine Gael — ne most conservative and former fascist party - and Labour, whose politics make Denis Healey appear to the left of Leon Trotsky. Fate The coalition fell from office by the votes of two independents WIlO had previously supported the government. seems that the Dail will be similarly evenly balanced.
In that respect the fate of independent candidates wil be particularly important.
Of those, Provisional Sinn Fein with seven candidates He one the largest number. But their chances succes are greatly hampered by policy which insists that if elected tne candidales woll t lake their seats.
best-known independent, Bernadette McAliskey, who is standing as a candidate sponsored by Peoples Democracy, Irish of the Fourth International, has dogmatic. Throughout the campaign she has made it clear that elected she would lake ner seat.
But this did not prevent her opponents contending the opposite. Indeed one feature of Bercampaign has ot slanders directed against her.
It began in the first few days with a report in Dublin newspaper that she and 400 of her supporters had held a secret meeting in which people were frisked and at which l lists were made of illegally obtained money 'northern sources' Such meeting ever took place and bernadette Was 10k in Dublin on the even courite crete.
'We work for all' - in other words illustrates why: swollen from 20 to 200.
The next story carried in most papers suggested 1o be able to sany a gue Calvassile allegation had _originally come from members of the Unionist party the north But that did not prevent it being reported as fact.
Again the story
complete fiction. As well, ten agent save hate elec.
their phones cut off periodically during the election campaign.
In one way this is all a very big compliment lo Bernadette's campaign has become a focus for the left's opposition to austerity measures in the 26 counties. The campaign ended with the canvassing team having McAliskey. Irish establishment are very worned lal sne mignt get in.
which LOUI members are returned and bv the middle of the campaign most observers were agreed that she would either win the election or come very close. Fight The message that Bernadette has been hammering home was summed up at a public meeting on the polling She said: 'The backs of the Irish working class are to the wall. If I get elected thev'll know we're coming out that wall fighting. The one enduring instinct working people have is to know when to turn and start a fight. The teeling 1 going from door to door is that that time is now.
I've met people who heard James Larkin speak and haven't forgotten what he stood for. I have people WHIC looked at the ten young men who died on hunge sirike and that changed and affected them deeply "And so our campaign has hecome bigger ever day. We started with 20 canvassers and ended up 200. knocking at doors making promises. We are saying come and the fight" • We are standing on ticket to build democratic organisation which says that the cause of Ireland is the cause of labour The McAliskey cam.paign has generate: m... interes: media Bernadetie has been filmed by Belgian, Wes Canadian and US TV. just because she is internationalv tamous. it is also because her candidature is cne of the tew noteworthy stories in an election in which the main parties are outside observers indistinguishable This in turn means tha! the outcome of the elecWill Suleau change. The only possible new development on a nather wing Labour Party, whose coalitionist policies have over the last decade lost substantial working class base Labour once had.
As union leader Matt Merigann said from Bernadette's platform at the weekend: "The working class are totally bereft of any political leadership. Our campaign is to try to give a lead to the anti-imperialist struggle and give a class dimension to the struggle for national s:THE THEATRE. 309 REGENT ST LONDON W1.
Socialist Challenge unity and independence."
In that however well Bernadette does there will be a major opportunity after the elec. LON. fightbacks which are bound to come.
As Bernadette told the press cut cicuce last wee, 'If you go on telling peopl who can no longer pay for the crisis: on telling them that are no Jobs and ina are going te on telling peopie:.= children school, then some da! they'll turn on you A: they say in Poland: •• 1 hungry nation eats government"
The Irish general ele:tion has seen no such teas: but has at least ensured that the knives and fork: have come out of the drawer.
18 February 1962 page:
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the foreign fice for HoMing People CALISKEY Nº1
IRELAND: TIME FOR TORY POLICIES TO GO LABOUR MOVEMENT CONFERENCE Bernadette Mi Aliskey ONIRELAND speNding