Once the ‘new’ shine fades old politics always prevails

World of Politics with Harry McGee – harrymcgee@gmail.com

Peadar Tóibín came west to showcase his brand new party Aontú in Carrick-on-Shannon a fortnight ago. When people like Tóibín break from the traditional parties, there is always a talk about ‘new politics’. In his case, it was about moving away from the elites and from the establishment, and from the ‘group-think of the forces that run the country. His party would be for, and by, its grassroots, a bottom-up party rather than a top-down party.

I’m not sure how Tóibín’s new outfit will fare in the long term. I can say at this early stage that portends are not good. It’s nothing to do with him or with his noble aspiration.

If you look at all the entities that went before Aontú, they were like a freshly-struck march. They flamed brightly for a moment and then, before you knew it, they had petered out.

There are a few other parties relatively new to the scene out there at the moment. Renua is already on the way out, in my view. The Social Democrats could do well in the local elections and in the next general elections.

But the big question is can it sustain itself as a stand-alone party into the medium future? Look the Clann na Talmhan, Clann na Poblachta, the Progessive Democrats, Democratic Left, the Workers’ Party. Only the latter survives and – as of now – as a shadow of its former self.

The Greens have toyed with extinction and may be on the up – but then again might slip down. The far left parties might be the ones to buck the trend and consolidate – but they have a plateau and they are not all that far away from it now.

We saw it again on Monday this week when seven members resigned from the British Labour Party resigned on Monday. One of their number, the very impressive Chuka Umunna, talked about new politics. The slight hitch there is that when you play the long game, ‘new politics’ is always trumped by ‘old politics’.

I was chatting with a long-standing Fianna Fáil TD on Monday who was giving out to me a little about the piece I wrote about Tóibín, saying I had given him far too much attention.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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