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MICHAEL MCNAMARA WILL be expelled from the Labour parliamentary party if he votes against the government on the Aer Lingus deal tomorrow.
The Clare TD has not yet indicated whether he will support the proposed sale of the state’s 25.1 per cent stake in the airline to IAG and said earlier there remained “more questions than answers”.
He has twice voted against the government in recent times and a senior Labour source said tonight that it would be “three strikes and out”.
“There were excuses for the other strikes, but he would lose the whip and the normal consequences would flow from that,” the source said.
McNamara has rebelled against his own party on a number of occasions in recent years.
In July 2013, he voted against the government on an amendment to the controversial abortion legislation. Last year, he also missed a vote on Irish Water.
While just last month, he voted against the government on his own bill to give gardaí the right to strike.
Earlier, McNamara distanced himself from a statement issued by the Labour press office late last night.
The joint-statement from the so-called ‘gang of eight’ Labour TDs – of which he is a member – indicated they were now supportive of IAG’s revised offer having opposed the original terms that were outlined last December.
TheJournal.ie has learned that McNamara was the only one of the eight TDs who did not sign-off on the statement as the press office could not reach him last night.
Deputies Joe Costello, Robert Dowds, Dominic Hannigan, Sean Kenny, John Lyons, Eamon Maloney, and Brendan Ryan were given notice of the statement before it went out, but McNamara was not made aware of it.
All seven, along with McNamara, brought a motion to the Labour conference in February detailing what was required in any revised offer from IAG if the state’s 25 per cent stake was to be sold.
While McNamara could not be contacted this evening it’s understood he has held a number of discussions with the party’s chief whip Emmet Stagg and also met with the Tánaiste Joan Burton about the issue today.
A well-placed Labour source said tonight that the party remains unclear as to what his intentions are.
“He’s giving contradictory signals. I don’t know if he even knows himself,” the source said.
The vote on the Aer Lingus deal is due to take place in the Dáil tomorrow afternoon.
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The first of many to come, the Labour banner won’t be a prized asset in the forthcoming election.
‘The joint-statement from the so-called ‘gang of eight’ Labour TDs – of which he is a member – indicated they were now supportive of IAG’s revised offer having opposed the original terms that were outlined last December.’
Now that’s what I call commitment
Like a young Jay Leno mono-’logging’ for the last parachute aboard doomed craft Labour-Nua (EI101)!
So in other words you can’t have your own opinion. Great bunch of the lads the Irish government!
My way or no way, great little country.
Makes a mockery of democracy that does, . Why even vote on it if you cant vote against it??
Looking to find one last chance to jump ship before the next general election. This is it.
politics, have a back bone and you lose your job
Wouldn’t it be amazing if some of the labour crowd could grow a pair of BALL’S
Believe in their own claims would satisfy me Seamus….
I’d settle from a small dose of honesty from Labour; or new FG as they are now known….
PD Nua more like it
So really the whip system is in no way democratic
Ah sure, thats the way we roll in Irish politics.
This type of thing is precisely why I will never again vote for a man/woman who is controlled by a ‘whip’.
It makes a mockery of democracy.
What difference will it make, he will be back again in another guise at some stage or another, they always come home to roost (boost their lucrative pensions)
Labour sell outs no respect for their founding principles.
Parish pump alive and well for the beloved Shannon in political circles….
How dare him disagree, he 100% deserves the sack.
But even if they do sack him, he still gets his salary and pension. The Clare people should be making him go to work and then work when he gets there.
It’s the highway or frankfurts way
Is he still friends with the childhood friend that he ‘allegedly’ paid off for unfair dismissal?
Will he put his constituents first or his career? We shall see tomorrow.
No such thing as the Labour Party.
i like the way he is okay to get expelled over an aeroplane but he will not risk expellation over broken election promises or water charges or promisery notes or coruption or stuff.
Chief whip Emmet Stagg is certainly no Frank Underwood
Surprised he’s not expelled for that wig
Is there one honest man who might save the soul of the Labour Party?
Chief whip emmet stagg. Umm kinky.
He looks like Ricky Whitelaw
I was thinking more Steve Bruce myself!
If they were any good they would vote against it and bring endas government down.
Cynical electioneering. He needs to grow a pair.
Of hair follicals ?
Nobody really cares, Mr.Mcnamara, becasue either way most Labour TD’s will soon be thrown out of politics altogether at the next GE.
Good Riddance !
Here’s hoping he does vote against enda
The man has incredible hair,we must at the very least,give him that
McNamara needs to understand that State involvement in airlines is passé. It’s about time that the Government’s share in Aer Lingus is sold.
He’ll be expelled from the Dail at the next election either way.
Any Labour TD voting against this deal and being expelled from the party will probably be re-elected, this is one big opportunity for any Labour TD wanting to be returned in 2016 to the Dail.
Voting is like religion anyway,a complete myth.I don’t waste my time with either of them.
if youre free religiously u should join my cult its called ‘RIPPER MURPHY IS THE BESTEST’ and we have cake, look at my baby picturs and say how good i am. theres an opening for vice pope going cause theres only two members in my cult at the moment, and im god and my mammy is the pope so we dont have any vice popes or bishops or priests. think about it.
Morm Jordil are you still here you beggar you.
maybe he is but maybe hes not the world is a mystery inded.
declo do you want to be my head worshiper if you comment on everything i do and just say you love me this will work.
If you werent trying to be so funny.. i might have considered it. But I have morals you know…oh hee hee.
Im betting he rings in sick today , then he cant be accused of anything and will continue to sit on the fence…..keep a note of absentees today folks….
Speaking of being Whipped, where has the Denis O Brien/ Catherine Murphy tells of Dinnys debt story gone to Journal??? Why was it taken down??
have your say