Tuesday, November 06, 2007
Donegal Sinn Féin councillor resigns from party
Frank mentioned this news in the comments zone here, and it was mentioned earlier on politics.ie, but the accompanying statement that Donegal Sinn Féin councillor Thomas Pringle has reportedly made on resigning from the party sounds interesting.
Update More on that resignation hereCiting his disillusionment with the Sinn Fein party in a statement released within the past hour, Councillor Pringle says he has every intention to carry out the the rest of his term as a councillor.
Councillor Pringle announced his decision yesterday, stating the explusion of two members of the Donegal South West Sinn Fein Comhairle as one of his reasons for taking this decision to resign.
and
And Frank points to this comment on politics.ieSpeaking on Ocean FM, Senator Doherty said while he was disappointed at Clr Pringle’s resignation, he said Clr Pringle had problems intergarting with the party due to his political background as an Independent.
Pringle in today’s Donegal Post.
“Since the General Election there was an opportunity to develop a bottom up rather than top down approach to decision making and allow the party to develop and grow. I regret that this opportunity has been missed.”
The Post says: “He was particularly disenchanted with the expulsion by Sinn Fein of two members in Donegal SW in recent months. One was Pettigo based Lawrence McManus. He declined to name the other.”
The Post says Pringle was upset at the leadership’s apparent willingness to enter coalition “with anybody.”
“They haven’t, but it’s not because they weren’t willing to. It’s because none of the other parties would speak to them,” says Pringle.
Pete Baker @ 08:43 PM
How many in Southern Shinners have left now since the election?
Posted by on Nov 06, 2007 @ 08:54 PMIt is not just southern SF types pounder. Bernice Swift in West Fermanagh is another example.
Posted by on Nov 06, 2007 @ 09:01 PMwhere is his statement?
Posted by on Nov 06, 2007 @ 09:18 PMharry
If I had it I would add it to the original post.. hence the “reportedly made”.
Posted by on Nov 06, 2007 @ 09:23 PMi feel the chickens are coming home to roost. the leadership’s strategy is beginning to unravel.
Posted by on Nov 06, 2007 @ 09:25 PMThat’s a massive blow for Doherty. In 2002 Thomas was within 66 votes of him running as an Independent candidate for the Dail and topped the poll for his council seat in 2004. SF could have just watched 33% of Doherty’s vote disappearing over the hill.
btw Pringle is an excellent and respected Cllr and there is no way SF are getting his fishing based vote back from him.
Posted by on Nov 06, 2007 @ 09:47 PMGiven he is a Pringle, maybe it’s a case of: ‘once you pop, you can’t stop’! i.e. maybe he is finding it difficult that SF IRA are not murdering enough people at the moment.
Posted by on Nov 06, 2007 @ 10:21 PMP&J;That’s probably the most ill-informed comment you’ve made on slugger.
To date, that is.
Read the links and look at his history as an independent councillor who only joined SF after 2002.
Posted by on Nov 06, 2007 @ 10:26 PMP&J;,
Given he only joined SF in 2004 maybe you are talking crap.
Posted by on Nov 06, 2007 @ 10:27 PMIt’s the fact that he felt the need to explain the “punchline” (I use the term advisedly) that lets the site down a bagful.
Posted by on Nov 06, 2007 @ 11:31 PMWhich ‘he’ did you have in mind, Raven?
And which “punchline”?
Posted by on Nov 06, 2007 @ 11:34 PMMick a chara,
May I please express, through your website, my condolences to the MEEHAN family in Belfast on the sudden tragic death of Martin aged 62.
My thoughts are with them all and I am confident that Tuesday’s funeral will have seen a turn out befitting a man whose dedication and courage throughout the years will be an inspiration to all future generations of Irish Republicans.
God Bless You cara,
o’ do cara BURNSY
Posted by on Nov 06, 2007 @ 11:45 PMApologies, Pete
“Given he is a Pringle, [SNIP] not murdering enough people at the moment.”
Posted by PeaceandJustice on Nov 06, 2007 @ 10:21 PM
That “he” and THAT “punchline”.
Posted by on Nov 07, 2007 @ 12:11 AMI’m surprised you’ve let it stand Pete.
That’s a scurrilous slight on the man, of whom I know nothing, notwithstanding the “maybe”.Posted by on Nov 07, 2007 @ 12:33 AMPete Baker - “look at his history as an independent councillor who only joined SF after 2002.”
Who cares when he joined. He still associated himself with a bunch of terrorists who murdered people throughout the British Isles including the Republic of Ireland - terrorists who are very very proud of murdering people.
Posted by on Nov 07, 2007 @ 12:35 AMP&J;You’d be better advised to note your error and move on.
Hint - Politics is all about the time and place.
Posted by on Nov 07, 2007 @ 12:41 AMPeaceandjustice sounds like someone who’d be only too happy if they continued murdering people. Would you not like SF to slowly evolve into a “normal” political party in a “normal” society or do you just like hating them?
Posted by on Nov 07, 2007 @ 12:49 AMTo Pete Baker - I’ve seen various allegations made against Unionists and the security forces on this site. Yet a joke about someone associated with a group who still has a terrorist council is not acceptable? Wise up!
Posted by on Nov 07, 2007 @ 12:51 AMP&J;If you want your comments to be considered as “a joke” then you should remember that there is no type-face that will be regarded as such.
In other words, either stand by what you say, or don’t say it.
Posted by on Nov 07, 2007 @ 01:01 AMp&j;does that mean that anyone who joined the DUP since 1986 is associting themselves with Ulster resistance and their non de-commissioned South African weapons or since 1994 with the LVF?
Posted by on Nov 07, 2007 @ 01:31 AMSince the elections there are regularly councillors quitting SF. Do you think these people are going on to other parties? Will Pringle remain an independent?
Posted by on Nov 07, 2007 @ 11:13 AMI think the numbers that have switched parties or become independent are actually fairly small. More multiple retirements all at the same time. This could be coincidence, it could be a deliberate policy to build up successors, or it could be the result of some very unhappy people across the island after the May elections. I suspect its a combination of the three, with most of them just retirements.
Posted by on Nov 07, 2007 @ 11:56 AMSome additional info on that resignation in the updated post.
Posted by on Nov 07, 2007 @ 02:53 PMDo they not have spellchecker at Ocean? Four errors in that one story.
Posted by on Nov 07, 2007 @ 03:10 PMFrom p.ie
Pringle in today’s Donegal Post.
“Since the General Election there was an opportunity to develop a bottom up rather than top down approach to decision making and allow the party to develop and grow. I regret that this opportunity has been missed.”
The Post says: “He was particularly disenchanted with the expulsion by Sinn Fein of two members in Donegal SW in recent months. One was Pettigo based Lawrence McManus. He declined to name the other.”
The Post says Pringle was upset at the leadership’s apparent willingness to enter coalition “with anybody.”
“They haven’t, but it’s not because they weren’t willing to. It’s because none of the other parties would speak to them,” says Pringle.
Posted by on Nov 07, 2007 @ 03:14 PM
