Brendan Howlin rules out dual party voting pact

Labour leader Brendan Howlin has insisted his party will run “independently” at the next election and will not be “beholden to anyone” after delegates ruled out any pre-vote pact with rivals.

Brendan Howlin rules out dual party voting pact

However, he has again left the door open for talking to Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin about forming a future government, saying Labour has an obligation to do so post-election if it has enough TDs to be a “defining element” of a coalition.

Speaking on the first night of Labour’s annual conference in Wexford, Mr Howlin said regardless of his belief the party must consider re-entering government, he will not seek a return to a version of the 2007 pre-election Mullingar accord pact with Fine Gael or any other party.

In a speech opening the conference, he told delegates Labour will stand independently of any other party and ruled out a pre-election pact.

“We will stand as an independent party. Not beholden or secondary to any one else. Just Labour, proudly Labour,” he said.

The speech came as the party’s Cork South Central constituency council put forward a motion that was backed by delegates for Labour to “reject any electoral strategy involving co-operation with or accommodation with right-wing parties, including Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil” before an election.

However, while Mr Howlin ruled out a pre-election pact, he notably repeated his view that Labour should talk to “everybody” after the next national vote and consider re-entering government if it is in a position to do so.

In a detailed interview in yesterday’s Irish Examiner, Mr Howlin said while he will not lead Labour “gushingly” into coalition he does not understand the “purpose” of remaining in opposition.

He repeated his view yesterday, saying “the whole idea of a party is to implement policy” if it can be sure policies can be introduced.

While insisting he has “no favoured option” and will deal with “what comes politically as it arises”, he noted Fianna Fáil “thankfully come without principles and with blank sheets” meaning “we can actually talk then on a policy platform”.

Although Mr Howlin championed last night’s decision to change the party constitution so that ordinary members can vote at future annual conferences, he clarified that this does not extend to special delegation conferences where specific decisions on entering government are made.

Meanwhile, Labour delegates will today elect Siptu general secretary Jack O’Connor as chairman of the party in a bid to underline its credentials with the official trade union movement.

While Mr O’Connor is highly regarded within Labour, he has been criticised by other left-wing groups for his six figure salary.

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