Imposed Labour Canndidate Causes Walkout at Candidate Vote

laois | politics / elections | news report Tuesday December 14, 2010 11:35 by Eóin Breathnach

F.F. sympathiser being brought onboard ?

John Whelan imposed in Laois/Offaly by Labour after party walkout on voting.

Labour have announced John Whelan, formerly news editor of the Leinster Express, to be the candidate for Laois/Offaly in the coming general election despite it not being voted on by the labour party organisation in the said constituency.

There was a walk out by approx 2/3 of the Labour party organisation at the propsed candidate vote by the party in the Heritage Hotel, Portlaoise, on 10/12/2010 where the ballot box was removed & legitimate vote not conducted.

Reason for the walkout is clear in that the party on the ground have not been afforded due process to challenge this candidate who is clearly, from his history as a reporter, a F.F. sympathiser with countless stories reifforcing F.F. & taking shots at Labour during his years in the Leinster Express, clearly not alligned to left politics.

One Quote from John Whelan,

"The perception is peddled that Brian Cowen is wildly different to Bertie Ahern, while he actually shares much of Ahern’s common sense, common touch and conservatism. "

This was written just as Ahern was leaving office for his 'financial irregularitys' & Cowen was entering as Taoiseach, anyone that could hold up Ahern as a role model in these terms after all the revelations around his dealings cannot rightly portray themselves as a true Labour/Left man.