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Updated at 8.27am
LABOUR MEP PHIL Prendergast has called for a change of leadership in the party.
Prendergast, who is running to retain her seat in Ireland South in next month’s European elections, says Eamon Gilmore should step down for the good of the party.
She’s also endorsed Social Protection Minister Joan Burton as the most suitable candidate to succeed him.
The MEP initially made the call in an interview with the Irish Independent, after a Millward Brown opinion poll carried out for the paper placed her in seventh place in the four seater constituency — with support at just 4 per cent.
Speaking to RTÉ’s Morning Ireland shortly after 7am, she told the programme there were concerns about Labour’s direction at all levels of the party — including amongst ministers.
And asked whether she thought Joan Burton was the most viable candidate to lead Labour into the next election, she replied, “yes I do”.
The elephant is not only in the room, it’s cantering around the room breaking things.
This is a crisis that’s gone on for a year and half,” she said, referring to a string of poor opinion poll results for the party.
We need to take urgent action and the time to do that is now.
Returning a call from TheJournal.ie following her RTÉ interview, Prendergast said she wasn’t concerned that her actions might put her on collision course with party HQ.
“There needs to be a change and I would stand over that,” the MEP said.
She said Labour was getting a “disproportionate kicking” in the polls that didn’t fairly reflect the positive work the party had been doing in government.
She said she felt the party leadership had been “frozen into immobility” as a result of the collapse in support, and that it was clear urgent action was now needed.
“I realise I’m not going to be flavour of the month over this,” the MEP said.
She said there was a groundswell of feeling amongst veteran Labour members and councillors that Gilmore was out of touch with the party.
At this stage, I just think we need a change from the leadership.
Prendergast said while she had discussed concerns about the performance of the party with Gilmore, she had not told him directly that she thought he should quit.
Cork TD for Labour Michael McCarthy said he didn’t agree with his party colleague’s assessment of the situation, and that the issue of the leadership wasn’t in question.
“To be honest I don’t think it’s helpful for anyone to start panicking or reacting to opinion polls with little over three weeks left till polling day,” McCarthy told Morning Ireland.
Today’s opinion poll put nationwide support for Labour at just 6 per cent.
Fine Gael, at 25 per cent, remain the largest party in the country. Fianna Fáil are at 23 per cent, with Sinn Féin at 21 per cent.
Independents and others are at 23 per cent, while the Greens are at 2 per cent.
71 per cent of respondents said they were dissatisfied with the Government.
First posted at 7.35am
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All the one… Labour are gone. They could replace the entire shower of them and it still wouldn’t matter. She’s calling for this to improve her chances in the up coming elections…pure and simple.
And in the unlikely event he did step down he would still get the golden handshake only for another shambles to step in and take his unjustifiable €185k salary. Argh
Until this Spring when was the last time you can remember Phil Prendergast saying anything? And now she is an expert on leadership? God help us.
Labour will be stepped down by the people after next election.
Unknown Substitute MEP Shocked To Discover That 100% of People Polled Have Never Heard Of Her
Another headline grabbing stunt from Prendergast. She should be in PR.
Did her (pointless and medically unnecessary) sexual health test after getting spat at not garner this former sex-ed teacher enough attention?
She quotes Labour leadership as “frozen into immobility”….. I think that perfectly describes the Labour Party as a whole, and our entire establishment with it (including MEP’s).
Her stunts so far have garnered a lot of extra support.
Phil is on about 4% and that is a figure a lot of Labour candidates can only dream about at this stage.
Saying it for years
Shes actually a midwife who resigned her post when she went into local politics. The screening ls that normal for people who are assaulted in this form
Smacks of desperation from this candidate.
Too little too late. The labour party lost the respect and the trust of the people a long time ago.
Started around the time of the Mullingar barracks closure. Someone should tell Phil the rest of the country are far more clued into the Labour party than the Labour party are.
Funny how she waited until just before an election to agree with us?
Here’s the new boss, same as the old boss!
Sure Joan burton would have half the country on jobridge if she could!
My job is being put under pressure because of jobridge people comin in workin for 50€ euro a week.
Labour for Slavery!
Incredible that Prendercast thinks the Job-bridge queen will restore in the Labour party. It just shows how out of touch the whole labour party are.
She just want her cushy little Euro number and will do or say anything to keep it
Excellent idea. Joan Burton instead of Gilmore.
Ask me again please. Do I prefer being punched by the left fist or the right?
You can change McDonalds to Burgerking. You still get bad food.
If their party, their family members or they themselves have ever been in power before. Don’t vote for them again. Voting for Dynasties is part of the problem. FF, FG and Labour have decades upon decades in “power” . our only upward trending return was to pay them higher pensions. 50% of both Labour and FG ministers were elected in the 90′s …..
You just increased their pensions Ireland ……. too stupid to even work that out. No wonder the state treats you like such idiots.
Totally agree all these TDs have been in power for years all the 3 FF,FG,LAB r the exact same lie to get into power, then just protect the pensions that’s all that matters to them, none of them care about the people of Ireland, I don’t hear any of them campaigning to reduce state pensions.
Swapping leaders is like swapping back benchers ….. government still wins, ministers get better pensions …. and children loose medical cards.
The Irish must want children to suffer. Supporting ministers who keep voting in favour of the IMF rather than in favour of the Irish children proves it.
Paddy and Mary believe what Dennis O Brien tells them. That’s how we know for a fact that people on social welfare are ripping Ireland off. While every single Anglo exec, Minister for Finance, Financial Regulator and journalist did all they could to prevent the crash of 08 (according to the politicians I mean) ………. so glad we are focusing all of our Gardai power on catching dole cheats .. Alan Shatter is probably in a constant state of orgasm knowing you lot think the plot on Eastenders is more important than whats happening in Ireland.
Is it any wonder you keep getting shafted?
Can anyone on here tell me how many state pensions of over €100,000 r paid out in Ireland totally paid for by the Irish taxpayer and how much is given out in total? Would love to know
The simple answer. All of them.
Irish people think politicians run the country, that’s because Irish people are educated in Irish “educational schools” whose curriculum is decided by the state …… the truth is. Irelands top level civil servants run the country. No matter what party you vote for, the civil servants at the top run Ireland….. they don’t lose their jobs just because you stopped voting FF and started voting FG ……
And even when we force them to quit …… Croke Park 1 …… we just rehire the same people again ……. you know . “rather than granting a new pension to some young blood ……. lets just restructure a pension of a civil servant who agrees with our party ?”
Country I am sad to say is too stupid to see where it’s going wrong ……. and almost 98% of our journalists in the mainstream lack the integrity to point that out.
Central bank employee and a Judge both released free of charge after being found to be in possession of child pornography. Both cases were dismissed because of a “faulty” warrant.
Alan Shatter is guilty of a lot of abuse in the Dept of Justice …….
Not to worry, I am sure Fianna Fail will be like the Apostles of politics next time you vote for them ……. so tired of this countries braindead morons ……
Truthful Irish, nicely said!
Truthful Irish, nicely said!
If the “journalists” at the journal.ie themselves had any integrity.
They would have told you all that themselves.
I’ve seen this sites writes contributions on other websites. It’s not as though 4 or 5 of you don’t see the reality …. yet your writing styles is so biased, you may aswell be reading Animal Farms Gazette on the journal ….. such a shame because I know the journals writers are a lot better than the last 4 years have shown ……
Some ones got a dose of paranoia…it will pass lad, let it all out…
Dosn’t matter who is the leader of the party in the same way as who the captain is on a sunken wreck!
Ah I see. I am simply paranoid. . . .
Thank God for that ……….. I almost thought the same FF, FG and Labour politicians that ran on Anti Austerity mandates had voted in favour of the Land Conveyance act (making it easier for banks to evict familes) …… had voted in favour of 6 austerity budgets and agreed to vote in favour of 6 more (till 2020) …. had refused to “seek a write down” despite running an entire election campaign on that premise. . . . had refused to allow NAMA be a FOI avenue …… swore blind Roscommon A&E would remain open . . . . water charges would not be intoduced, property tax was never going to happen …….. want me keep going Talkingsense? Cause so far, you are talking shi ite
Good morning Lab trolls how are ye lads? Looking forward to the coming elections no doubt. …. HA HA
Last thing I am is a party troll. It’s long been my opinion that all party politics needs to be removed. As parties need to survive, they are inherently corrupt.
History has thought us this since 1919.
It’s about time Ireland and her people banished these dynasties from the political landscape for good.
If their party, their family members or they themselves were ever in power before. Don’t vote for them again.
Phil,
Labour do be F**ked….
Labour and fg can f right off liars and bullies the lot of them.
Let’s hope labour go the way of the greens.
Don’t forget F.G
Sorry Phil that call is way to late for you and hopefully a large number of candidates in the local elections I’m happy to say.
Politics is a game whereby a person has 2 act caring, hard working and loyal to the people until they get voted in, then they turn into a complete tosser like their predecessor. The political system here has failed, it should be scrapped and begin again with the next generation forming new parties
A change of leadership won’t save you Phil – say goodbye to the trough. The thought that Ms Burton is some sort of saviour is also risible.
FG are doing all the damage yet there polling as the biggest party. Are the electorate idiots?
Yes but we expect that from FG but what we didn’t expect was Labour to warn us what FG would do to us and then implement that to the cent for them.
We are not stupid but they must be.
Yes
Vote Sinn Féin.
Roland do you know any thing about Sinn Fein in Longford have had every party at my door but Sinn Fein
The only way labour could possible salvage even half their lost votes would be to scrap the whole water tax system and even then it’d be a very long shot. This will be the most interesting election yet because nobody in their right mind will vote ff, fg or lab. A proper alternative party would clean up right now.
Ireland needs Eamonn Ryan like a fish needs a bicycle, a total tosser who cost the ordinary man in the street a fortune!
It won’t matter who is in leadership ..all absolute useless …how much more can they squeez out of the worker so they can look good in Europe. Creeps!more bills,more taxes..up everyday to pay for somebody else’s mistakes and then see photos of the fu..ers playing golf and relaxing..and we just except it!they made promises and never kept any of them!!i hope they rot in hell for making my life and my families so hard ….
Gerry you will find it is FG doing the squeezing but labour are FG bitches.
She has just made me respect her even less. As much as gilmore deserves to be banished st Patrick stylee, doing it to clearly serve yourself and not the people of Ireland is despicable.
They won’t even have that pleasure
Labour you have many new horizons beckoning you in obscurity…… Off you go now. Good riddance!
It was good while it lasted Phil and welcome to the real world.
Changing the light bulb is no good when the electric has been turned off
Rats deserting a fast sinking ship….too late you are all doomed and about time too!!!!!!!!
Why does she think the person behind Gilmore which is brutal Burton is going to change anything? What is mentally wrong with these people.
All I can say thank god none of them are in the classrooms teaching if their level of intelligence is that.
Labour need a new fresh face as leader-none of the old guard and that leader needs to replace the old guard from the cabinet table or else remove Labour from Government. Anything else is window dressing.
Jack; Labour as an entity are dead. They may have started out in 1912 with the best of intentions but today they’re no more socialist than the Rockeweller foundation. The sooner Grass roots supporters and members realise that the better. Their actions have proven that it’s all about self preservation. Saving the party is paramount to them. Nothing else matters.
We re stuck with him when his own part don’t want him
Nail in coffin for her now one thing Gilmore has learned of his BOSS Enda is to cut out the rot ASAP……
If my Uncle had tits he’d be my Auntie.
Your uncle has no tits ,boi ???!!!!
When Labour let the political smoothies, the gunmen and forgers of Democratic Left and the Workers Party fill its ranks, it marked the beginning of the end.
No when they followed the policies of ff and fg they failed lab ff and fg are a blight on people of this country
Says a lot about her when she never said it to his face was talking with Mae sexton a few days ago she told Gilmore 2 years ago he was out of his league she quit labour this woman stayed on the gravy train now it’s coming to an end she’s panicking
WHO is Phil Prendergast ? ?
Pity labour has turned its back ,on, its own policies,wether there puppets,who knows, there fight went out the door,when,they conceded to the troika,so much promising words for the people,but sadly for the troika with the troika,now who do we turn to??? Sinn fein,surely ,is this the last choice we have,time for anew party,for the people,with a pedigree of a backbone
But who Ryan ……???? That’s the problem
Michael collins,a new party ,disgruntled people,a party with honesty,and have some clue what the people want,and what we suffer,frankly,the current boozoooeess are distant from the people
Of course he should go. But to be replaced by Joan Burton?! That’s a pretty awful solution. The party are now wolves in sheep’s clothing – Labour in name only.
Is Joan Burton not a cabinet minister? Standing by and supporting Labour’s sellout of people? That would be a radical change indeed!
Vote Eamonn Ryan
Why?
Pierce we can’t afford Eamon ryan.
This man has as much to do with the state of the country as Bertie and Fitzpatrick.
When his was Minster he could have sorted out the water crisis and put the infrastructure that was needed but he decided he back FF selling the country down the swannie.
Ryan is a parasite and has as much blood on his hands as the rest of them
At least if he’s in Europe he has no real power and can’t do any real harm.
Eamonn Ryan.. Titter titter
With Joan Burton are you mad!!!!!
Marie you could replace the leader of the Labour party with Dustin the Turkey if you like, wont make any difference, they are finished…….on second thoughts Dustin might be a better bet than the screechy wan…..
I believe she is right, but it sounds like she is trying to save her own skin. The fat cats need to leave the party, Rabbitt and Gilmore have ruined the party, James Connelly would turn in his grave ,
Bahahahaha bye bye Labour :D
If labour had any integrity it would pull of government now, trigger a general election, so this austerity driven shower can be disbanded for good.
Joanie should challenge for the Fine Gael leadership, they’re closer to her own values than labour ever were
Gilmore’s Reign is coming to an end alright.But this “socialist” Tainiste and his partner can retire and tour with massive Royal pensions while Labour candidates in Local,European and General elections face the political guillotine.As the old song goes:”The working class can kiss my ass, I’ve got the foreman’s job at last” .
Shuffling the tossers won’t make a difference , Labour are going the way of the PDs.
Roisin Shortall is the only Labour TD who can claim any credit from this government, and even if she took over the party, all the other FG-enablers would still be there, ready to endorse any policy or deliver any spiel that allowed them to stay in power.
How can we have faith in Labour TD’s when even supposed rebel Colm Keaveney thought joining FF wasn’t a betrayal of his voters.
Not for the first time has Phil blamed her leadership
That Fishmonger from Cork in the pic has given the Queen of England a few laughs during the last few years.
Not sure what the two ladies in that pic are “monging” but whatever it is, I bet they’re the only ones laughing!
Taxing Family Homes …. are they totally mad?
Independents (23%) + Sinn Fein (21%) = 43% = Max Seats
Fine Gael (25%) + Labour (6%) = 31% . odious disgusting taxes!
Fianna Fail (23%) + Labour (6%) + Greens (2%) = 31% Never Again!
Independents (citizens candidates) and Not Political Parties (Private Clubs) will win the next Election.
Her instructional video about putting on a condom should come in handy when she and her party colleagues get f***ed at the elections on May 23rd.
Ms Prendergast staged a conference in a Kilkenny hotel recently, I was told 18 attended!
No wonder she’s in panic mode.
In other news the ex Labour & ex-every other party Ms Nessa Childers seems to have done well in the weekend opinion poll. How can people consider voting for someone with almost as many clubs as Robbie Keane?
The labour vote will be watered down , no amount of lies will save them this time around .
Philip is RIGHT!
She is worried about not getting back to the trough. They will be wiped out no matter who leads them because they are traitors all
Replace one sellout with another? Sounds great…exactly in what way has Joan Burton demonstrated that she’d be different to Gilmore in power? She’s stood over some of the most swingeing attacks on social welfare payments and is also attempting to devalue the idea of work with JobBridge, Tus and Gateways slave labour schemes. No thanks
Yea get rid of one parasite and put in another brilliant idea
Joan Burton? Thanks but no thanks! Anyway Labour’s dead and gone and in the grave or will be in the European and Parliamentary elections.
Gilmore has to go yes, and the rest of the Labour Party also, Government should be made Accountable for Promises they failed Miserably to Keep.
have your say