"I would hate to be a slave to just trying to be popular"—Creighton

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/lucinda-creighton-enda-eddie-and-me-1.2303251

Quite an interesting feature on Lucinda Creighton appears in today's IT.

It looks at first sight like a political portrait of Creighton, but it's written by Kathy Sheridan instead of the paper's usual political journos, and makes for very interesting reading.

What we have actually been given is the political obituary of a woman who seems quite doleful and disillusioned about political life, and clearly with very good reason.

I am no supporter of Creighton or Renua, but you can't help but feel sympathy for anybody inhabiting such a bleak crag as the Irish political arena, whilst sincerely trying to do her best for her country. She recounts a series of seemingly minor but, in their own way, appalling political quarrels and bitter personal clashes within her former party, even within her own constituency.

In the end, you suspect Creighton is ready to give up the ghost on Renua especially should the party perform poorly in the general election, which I suspect it will.

But more importantly, this article illuminates the poor ability of the Irish political system to engage with diverse opinion and honest political exchange, where talented politicians can be spurned, and prospective politicians should probably be dissuaded, if they've any sense.

It's one of the best political features I've read on the IT, which I don't usually bother with anymore. Just wondering if anyone else has read it and what your opinions are?

KingBrian2

Of what I read it sounded preachy and condescending of the typical Irish voter.

TwoGallants

What does Renua stand for? From what I can tell, it wants to focus the conservative impulses of FF and FG and create a type of Irish conservative party. It won't work, they'll be lucky to get one seat, and Creighton will be on the dole in the next year.

LuckyLloyd

I'd find it hard to accept Creighton's political demise as a tragedy following her involvement in a cynical exercise like Renua.

K-9

Pretty scathing on the Independents and I'd say there is some truth in that.

Madd Finn

That's a good one for a "things they never said" list.

"I would hate to be a slave to just trying to be popular" was NEVER EVER EVER said by...Bertie Ahern.

Nodin

I'm left curious about what she means by "reform" in connection with Bruton (Richard).

Having left Fine Gael over her stance on abortion, her claim they'd turned into Fianna Fail was somewhat amusing.

As for the "lads" notion, it may be so, but there's also the fact that if you're not in with the party leader, many will feel free they have licence to have a go, be they targeting male or female.

Madd Finn

Madd Finn wrote: »

"I would hate to be a slave to just trying to be popular" was NEVER EVER EVER said by...Bertie Ahern.

There's nothing wrong with being popular. We should probably distinguish between popular and populist, though.

Bertie's cabinet, the likes of Mary Hanafin, were populists but were personally unpopular.

Joe Higgins is a popular guy, even among people who fundamentally disagree with him. He is an idealogue politician, not a populist.

I think, given the context of the article, that Creighton was referring largely to her own popularity. She has a serious image problem which is quite separate to Renua's policies, or those we know of. There is nothing fundamentally objectionable about Renua's policy statements in the minds of most people.

The biggest obstacle to Creighton both in terms of internal party politics, constituency politics and national politics, is that she is a very unpopular woman. Personality wise, she grates on people.

KingBrian2

The so called social democrats are as bad. They don't know what they are but they certainly know they are not Labour.