Unity

From Unity, 28 February 2009

Moving to the left

by Jimmy Stewart

Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams’s speech at the ard-fheis signalled a move to the left. He roundly denounced the Fianna Fáil Government’s economic policies, which contributed to the crisis in the twenty-six counties and continued to make it worse.
     The Sinn Féin president’s speech, like the ard-fheis as a whole, was dominated by political and economic issues in the South.
     Gerry Adams told members at the ard-fheis that the Fianna Fáil Government “should go” and that “the bankers must face the full rigours of the law” and be brought before the courts. Signalling a move to the left, Mr Adams called for a “new alignment in Irish politics, north and south.”
     He stated that the dominance in the Irish state of two large conservative parties—Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael—can be ended and that a new alignment in Irish politics can be created. “In my view, the Labour Party has a duty not to prop up either Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael. Instead, Labour should explore with others the potential for co-operation in the future. I invite all these potential allies to come together to forge a stronger, more united progressive and democratic movement for our country—one that aims to meet the needs of all citizens.
     “I include parties like the Labour Party, the Greens, if they can survive the fall-out from their participation in this right-wing government, other smaller parties, trade unions, the community organisation, rural agencies, and organisations including farming bodies and the fishing community, women’s groups, the students, youth organisations, and those who speak for the disabled, the poor, the unemployed, the homeless and the marginalised in our society.”
     Certainly Sinn Féin is well aware of the growing anger amongst people in the Republic over job losses and rising prices whilst the bankers award themselves rich bonuses for overseeing an economic disaster.
     On the same day as the Sinn Féin ard-fheis, well over 100,000 people marched through the streets of Dublin in protest.
     Aware of this, the Sinn Féin leadership is moving towards the labour movement, acknowledging the work of the trade unions and reaching out to the Labour Party.
     This development must be welcomed. Mr Adams’s call for an alliance of the left and all progressive forces is a significant advance from the “ourselves alone” temperament which dominated Sinn Féin thinking during the past number of decades.

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