Dear Reader,
For as long as the Labour Party has stood, there are always those anticipating our downfall, and many, including Barry Walsh, regularly voice these predictions in your esteemed publication, as seen in the recent letter titled “Labour – headed for managed decline?”(June 15).
Many had doubts about our chances of winning the 2021 Dublin Bay South byelection or procuring a Dublin MEP seat; let alone our ability to triumph in local elections with Ivana Bacik’s underestimated leadership and our roster of promising candidates. But we caught them off guard.
Despite our limited means, the Labour Party strategically focused on securing an MEP seat in Dublin, whilst nurturing a fresh wave of political contenders, making us proud of the steadfast campaigns launched by our candidates in South and Midlands North West.
This approach reaped benefits; we tripled our council seats in both Cork and Galway Cities, and regained ground in Sligo and Kilkenny. Labour candidates took the lead in local polls in Dublin, Wexford, Louth and Tipperary, setting us on a strong footing for the upcoming general elections.
Labour’s triumph in securing more council seats than Sinn Féin or other left-leaning parties across all four local authorities in Dublin is testament to our relentless efforts.
It’s now our responsibility to align with serious, governance-focused progressive parties on the left side of politics and offer a counter to the far-right’s upheaval and growing support for independent candidates in upcoming general elections.
Yours sincerely,
Cathal McCann,
Political Director,
Labour Party,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2.