POLITICAL PARTY conferences in a television age are designed to achieve two aims: to raise the morale of delegates who help to make policy, and to impress a wider public audience of potential supporters who might vote for the party next time. This weekend Labour, at its annual conference in Mullingar, managed to do both. Delegates took some important decisions when they adopted a major report on party reforms, and were buoyed by the address of party leader Eamon Gilmore.
In what was a well-timed move – with local and European elections in June, and also a byelection vacancy to be filled – the party presented a changing and more appealing face to the public. Labour, by adopting its 21st Century Commission report, has taken an important step in broadening the support base of the party, and ensuring it is better placed to maximise electoral gains in future.
In the past, one of Labour’s difficulties has been to manage succession: to retain a Dáil seat when a sitting TD retired, or died. In 2007, three retirements saw the party lose two seats in that election. Now, by changing how candidates are selected and by introducing a shortlist procedure for those who seek a nomination, the party hopes it has rectified matters. Labour has greatly improved its chances of holding existing seats and winning extra seats next time. In the past, notably the 1992 election, Labour’s strong voting support failed to translate into greater seat gains because too few candidates were selected to contest some of the larger constituencies.
Labour has also taken an important step away from being a special interest party, one perceived as being reliant on the trade union movement, to becoming a national party responsive to the national interest. In an era of social partnership, where unions have enjoyed direct access to government for two decades, the unions and the Labour Party need each other less, not more. A diminution in trade union influence can only help broaden and enhance Labour’s public appeal.
The poor state of the public finances and our straitened economic circumstances require the mainstream political parties, if they are to maintain public credibility, to become national interest parties. For Labour, Mr Gilmore’s calls this weekend for a third (48 per cent) tax rate on incomes over €100,000, for the elimination of tax avoidance schemes, and for tighter rules on tax exiles, are popular options and easy to take. A greater test of the party may be the rigour and realism of its proposals in its pre-budget plan to be published shortly.
If Fianna Fáil was the political beneficiary of the boom, Labour and Fine Gael are now the beneficiaries of the recession. However, for the main Opposition parties to consolidate that support they must persuade a sceptical public, which has lost faith in the Government’s management of the public finances, that Fine Gael and Labour could do better. The public remains to be convinced. Mr Gilmore’s success in this regard will be the greatest test of his leadership.