Showing posts with label Party Conference. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Party Conference. Show all posts

Tuesday 13 February 2007

McDowell Runs to the Left

It appears that Pat's 18% stunt on Saturday has so completely confused Der Fuhrer, that he is now running full tilt to the left. Morning Ireland this morning had an irate Tanaiste claiming that the PDs when returned to the Reichstag would implement a 3oo euro a week pension. He claimed that in saying this that he was not trying to buy the election. Hmmmmm.

His rant also included the side swipe that while the PDs have form in increasing pensions, (remember those PD Ministers for Social Welfare) that Labour have always opposed tax cuts. Now what this of course means in reality is that the PDs have allowed the FF boys a few hand outs to the pensioners and Labour have always opposed tax cuts to the top rate - such is their want as a left wing(ish) party.

McDowell will calm down soon and hopefully in the meantime he will stay out of the way of microphones and unsuspecting opposition spokes people. In terms of guaging the success of any opposition policy announcement, how crazy Michael goes is a good rule of thumb. In this case he not only went crazy, but started abandoning his right wing credo. This round goes to the smug faced boy wearing the off-red rose.

Monday 12 February 2007

Rabbitte Pulls Coalition From the Hat

What a difference a day can make. The bold Pat has been a bit jittery of late, struggling to stay on message in the face of repeated questioning on his level of commitment to Inda. After his conference speech on Saturday night, the media focus will surely shift back to the politics and the policy, at least for a few days.

The pledge to cut the bottom rate of tax was a master stroke its brilliance exceeded only by its obviousness. Where the shock value is coming from is beyond me. This is reputedly a left wing party, it must try to outflank FF and the PAYE worker on low to medium money is not a bad place to start. Biffos statement that he would continue cutting tax at the top rate next year helps Rabbittes pledge even more, he is addressing the ordinary Joe while FF is looking after the rich man.

The eagerness with which FG grasped hold of the idea was a bit unseemly and me tooish, but it may just be the first step in turning things back round for the alternative coalition, Rabbitte may indeed have pulled it out of the hat.