Socialist Party/CWI Ireland at 6% in Dublin in latest opinion poll

[Jolly Red Giant]

In the latest opinion poll conducted by Red C for Paddy Power bookmakers voters have indicated that Ind/Other candidates are at 28% in Dublin with Red C commenting that

the strength of support is high in Dublin, due to good levels of support for the Socialist Party at 6%.The breakdown for Dublin is as follows

Fine Gael 26%
Fianna Fail 7%
Labour 22%
Sinn Fein 11%
Ind / Others (including the SP/CWI on 6%) 28%
Greens 6%

This puts the Socialist Party / CWI almost on a par with Fianna Fail which was the largest party in the state for 70 years until the last election. This is a doubling of sopport for the Socialist Party since the last general election and would indicate a potential five seats in Dublin in the next election. The Socialist Party are likely to add a further seat in Cork.

Opinion Poll results nationally are as follows

Fine Gael 33%
Fianna Fail 17%
Labour 16%
Sinn Fein 14%
Ind / Others 17%
Greens 3%

Polling companies continue to refuse to include the Socialist Party in national opinion polls despite the party holding two seats in parliament and on MEP (or the United Left Alliance who have five seats in Parliament including the SP) yet continue to include the Green Party who a zero national representation.

The opinion poll also indicates that 26% of people nationally will refuse to pay the new Household charge of €100. The national campaign against the Household charge is being led by the United Left Alliance
http://nohouseholdtax.org/

[Welshy]

I will preface this by saying that this isn't meant to sectarian but instead it is a sincere question. But what does the CWI see gaining these 5 seats in Dublin and the one in Cork accomplishing? In other words what is the CWI's justification for running for parlament (at leas that is what I think you are talking about, please correct me if I'm wrong, but you didn't really give any context)?

[Искра]

KKE in Greece has more %... So, what point of this?

[Jolly Red Giant]

I will preface this by saying that this isn't meant to sectarian but instead it is a sincere question. But what does the CWI see gaining these 5 seats in Dublin and the one in Cork accomplishing? In other words what is the CWI's justification for running for parlament (at leas that is what I think you are talking about, please correct me if I'm wrong, but you didn't really give any context)?
The Socialist Party / CWI uses the platform of Parliament to assist in organising working class struggles against austerity and the building of a political alternative to capitalism.

[Welshy]

The Socialist Party / CWI uses the platform of Parliament to assist in organising working class struggles against austerity and the building of a political alternative to capitalism.

Can you give me specifics on how you see using Parliament would help in this organization? I've been reading some more of the german/dutch/english left communists about the use of parliamentary politics and I'm curious about seeing the other side of the debate with in a modern context.

[Jolly Red Giant]

KKE in Greece has more %... So, what point of this?
The KKE in Greece traditionally has had a significantly bigger base than any left party in Ireland and the struggle in Greece is far more advanced than it is in Ireland. The left in Ireland has always bee tiny since the foundation of the state (it was far bigger prior to independence) and the CP in Ireland never won more than a few hundred votes in election.

The revolutionary left in Ireland has never had such a level of support in parliamentary terms. The Socalist Party winning six seats and the other forces in the United Left Alliance winning more would be a major boost to the building of a socialist alternative in Ireland.

[Jolly Red Giant]

Can you give me specifics on how you see using Parliament would help in this organization? I've been reading some more of the german/dutch/english left communists about the use of parliamentary politics and I'm curious about seeing the other side of the debate with in a modern context.
For example - during the current campaign against the Household tax the ability of the Socialist Party and the ULA to use members of parliament for press conferences has ensured far more press converage than would have been previously expected. Socialist Party and ULA members of parliament regularly debate on national television with government ministers and MPs - usually three or four times a week. Using members of parliament for launch meetings of the campaign against the household charge has attracted bigger attendances than would have been expected without them. The organisational back-up that exists as a result of being in parliament (finance, printing, communications etc) also assists in the work of organising of this campaign.

The same is true of every other campaign that the Socialist Party and ULA have been involved in since the election last February.

[Welshy]

For example - during the current campaign against the Household tax the ability of the Socialist Party and the ULA to use members of parliament for press conferences has ensured far more press converage than would have been previously expected. Socialist Party and ULA members of parliament regularly debate on national television with government ministers and MPs - usually three or four times a week. Using members of parliament for launch meetings of the campaign against the household charge has attracted bigger attendances than would have been expected without them. The organisational back-up that exists as a result of being in parliament (finance, printing, communications etc) also assists in the work of organising of this campaign.

The same is true of every other campaign that the Socialist Party and ULA have been involved in since the election last February.

Thank for that post. Though if you could PM more information about the other campaigns and how having MPs helped out with that, that would be useful in helping me form my opinion.

Ok time for another question. How do you see the use of parliamentary politics helping with struggles against capitalism or organization such struggles? Also (time for some self criticism) has there been any instances where you feel that using Parliament wasn't the correct action, why or why not?

[Magdalen]

The revolutionary left in Ireland has never had such a level of support in parliamentary terms. The Socalist Party winning six seats and the other forces in the United Left Alliance winning more would be a major boost to the building of a socialist alternative in Ireland.

Does the CWI not consider the Workers' Party to be/have been part of the 'Revolutionary Left'? (I'm asking this out of genuine curiousity, certainly not out of any support for the Stickies)