Tractorian

lumphammer2

There has been talk of a rural party for years ….. with half of all 'culchies' wanting one in a recent poll would it be a viable one or would it be just another minor party ….

What Ireland does not need is another embittered loony far right party …. and I am afraid that is what such a party would become …. that aside how would a proper moderate centrist party focusing on rural affairs work out ??? ….

Brussels Sprout

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058369480/tractorian

The trouble is that any rural party would quickly become a Green-bashing party. That in turn would become a climate change denial party. Once you're in that territory then you attract all the right-wing conspiracy theory types.

Aontu have had this same problem except in their case their entry point has been pro-life politics.

In the modern algorithm driven social media sites, people who have interests in any of these areas get shown content from the others and often fall down the disinformation rabbit hole .

What I'm saying is that it's almost impossible to have a party that is centrist on most issues but has a very right wing (or even conspiracy theory) outlook on one specific area. Any party like that will quickly attract all sorts of cranks and weirdos.

L1011

Farmers parties and farmer independents in Ireland have always fallen down on the differing needs of small and big farmers.

Same would apply to a "rural party" - the people living in a ~1000 population rural town may not identify with bigger towns/cities but have entirely different needs to those in a standalone house well outside a town; or a small village.

Does your proposed rural party focus on farmers? If so, big or small? Does it focus on those living in rural areas but not working on the land? Does it focus on small towns? They all have completely different needs and aren't going to have a single cohesive set of desires.

II is the closest you're going to get; and cannot be described as moderate centrist - they can't even be described as a functional party, due to huge differences in what every rep actually wants.

Sam Russell

The trouble with a rural based party is that 'rural' is so ill defined, it includes no-one in particular or everyone from everywhere outside the cities.

They all need more services, particularly health, and more infrastructure, particularly roads, and more grants, and lower taxes.

Plus of course more social welfare, plus of course more one-off houses through easier planning, and quite a few things I have not listed.

I think that would be a populist party if ever there was one. But they fail because I want more for me but less for you and your ilk.

Tony EH

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122629470#Comment_122629470

Exactly. Any attempt at such a party is bound to flounder when they come across the usual "what's in it for me" brigade and that would be, practically, right out of the traps.