Left win in Tipperary

Left win in Tipperary

SEAMUS HEALY, a left-wing candidate, has topped the poll in the Tipperary South parliamentary by-election in Southern Ireland, decisively defeating the right-wing Labour candidate. He is opposed to coalition with the corrupt right-wing parties.

The capitalist ruling party, Fianna Fail’s vote collapsed from 37% to 22%. Their candidate is the first Fianna Fail candidate in living memory to be eliminated in a by-election. The main capitalist opposition party, Fine Gael, couldn’t benefit from the government’s present troubles – the establishment political parties are up to their necks in sleaze and corruption scandals.

With a general election possible this autumn, there is growing support for the Socialist Party. The Irish Times commented: “The biggest emerging voting block is the Independents, including the Workers’ Party (ex-communist party) and the Socialist Party [our sister party in Ireland, represented by Joe Higgins in Parliament] which has grown to 10% overall and has a 12% profile in Dublin.”

Alongside Joe Higgins’ re-election, there is a real opportunity to get Socialist Party councillor Clare Daly elected to the Dail (parliament) in Dublin North.