Ah, this is grim. Very grim.

What can be done at this point if even the most profoundly corrupt people in the history of the nation can get off fine?

Watching family get dragged further and further into far right spaces and thought is such a demoralising experience.

Really makes one think that China had it right with the great firewall.

Tough call but they may be the most useless government we have ever had.

Sheep are disappearing from our hills and our dinner plates Have we have passed "peak sheep" in the UK?

Great!!

Sheep are a *top* cause of nature loss.
www.bbc.com/news/article...

There's some pretty solid left wing figures in the SF leadership, but the party leadership as a whole have been very keen in the move rightwards. Mary Lou is also very keen on this and has played a big role here, but the leadership of the party, as a whole are to blame, and that DOES include her.

She very much plays an important role in that shift to the right, but various other figures elected to the Ard Comhairle are also responsible for the move rightward.

But that move towards the right, it would have happened with or without her as leader.

Ignoring the thread for a second, Peadar says he can see Aontú winning 12 seats at the next election? Is he mad?

This is probably the best possible configuration I can think of for Aontú off the top of my head. At best I think he can win 6 or 7 (at best), but 12?? Someones going to be disappointed.

But ofc this all doesn't really matter all too much. The same people that critique Mary Lou for her FF ties won't do so to Tóibín, as there is a double standard in Irish politics for women.

Hell, I'd reckon that most of these people aren't even knowledgeable of Tóibín's time in FF.

Peadar Moving for a FF-Aontú coalition would make him, personally, closer to his FF roots then MLMD is towards hers.

Aontú on the other hand is the Peadar Tóibín party, it exists thanks to and because of him.

And despite the expulsions, infighting and scandals (that are frustratingly barely touched on by the media), the party still follows his personal direction.

Like there's a billion things to criticise Mary Lou for, and Sinn Féin did move rightward under her leadership, but that process is not because of her. She plays a part, but it is a process with far more people to blame.

There's a lot of moving pieces there.

So I do find it funny that a lot of on the ground Aontú curious people criticise MLMD for former FF ties, but have a fondness for Tóibín.

The answer to why Mary Lou gets criticised for this but Tóibín doesn't, largely comes down to misogyny ofc. Toibín is clearly closer to FF then MLMD is today.

But they need to court Fianna Fáil in order to get these things done, so it's no wonder that Tóibín is salivating at the mouth, praying for an O'Callaghan led Fianna Fáil.

Terrifying prospect ftr. Aontú would utterly wreck women's rights (although I doubt the prospects of another abortion referendum, they can still do serious damage to abortion access in the country)

Queer rights would also be targeted, environmental protections gutted, it'd be a very grim reality.

We've known since 2024 that Aontú want a coalition with FF, and I'd argue that this will become an increasingly likely possibility.

Hell, I would also argue that Peadar is correct that FF could be directed in a way desirable to Aontú. The PDs at 8 seats shaped the country, Aontú could do similar.

Mary Lou gets a lot of criticism - Much of it deserved - But one thing I have noticed in certain circles, is criticism of her being involved with Fianna Fáil in her youth.

This is never applied to Peadar Tóibín, who was just as active if not more in his local FF Cumann in his own youth.

American B-1 bombers are landing on British soil before flying off to bomb Iran, yet Keir Starmer gaslights the nation by claiming the UK isn’t at war.

These aircraft are dropping 2,000lb bombs on schools, hospitals and homes in Iran, where the death toll has already surpassed 1,300.

"It tells us something about the distinct value of human life... imagine if 160 schoolchildren were killed in my other places in the world, it would be number 1 item on the news for weeks."

#USOutOfShannon #NoToWar #Iran #Lebanon

Suppose Galloway's lot gives them a run for their money. Would still say the CPGB-ML just about edges them in this competition.

Flirted with each other awhile back, but they're too toxic even for each other. Fitting, utter flies fighting over shit.

Struggling to think of a worst left wing party in Britain then the CPGB-ML.

Reactionaries, hyper sectarian, useless and just moronic.

Worst part is that there's some people on our island that end up friendly with them.

US aircraft leave Spain after government says bases cannot be used for Iran attacks Fifteen U.S. aircraft have left the Rota and Moron military bases in southern Spain since the U.S. and Israel launched weekend attacks on Iran, maps by flight tracking website FlightRadar24 showed on ...

Incredible stuff coming out of Spain. I've my critiques of PSOE but this is an absolutely moral move by the Spanish.

Hopefully we can increase the pressure on our own government to shut down Shannon - but I've very little hopes that they'd listen to the people.

www.reuters.com/world/middle...

Israeli airstrike impact Tehran, Iran

🚨 WATCH: Zack Polanski says Keir Starmer is dragging the UK into “another illegal war”

“We must immediately withdraw permission for the US to use UK bases… we need to think about our own national security”

"Can't say". She knows it was against international law, the whole world does, but international law just doesn't matter.

Didn't matter when Russia invaded Ukraine, or when the US invaded Iraq, when Israel ramped up their genocide and it doesn't matter when America destroys Iran.

I think about this Tony Benn speech much more than I used to

The fall of the USSR was one of the worst events in recent history.

For the sake of the world, the great satan, the United States, the largest and most powerful empire in history, must end.

Somehow, someway, if the world doesn't want to live under their boot, if we don't want to live in a panopticon, the American state must die.

During a reactionary war a revolutionary class cannot but desire the defeat of its government.

Aontú would be happy with their result, stable at 6%. The next locals are going to be a nightmare.

PBP seem to be perpetually stuck on 3%

FG/FF are alternating between each other every other poll on who goes up and who goes down. Has been like this for a noticeable while now.

Greens at 4% is interesting to see as well. Bit of a good omen as they hold their conference. Doubt it will hold for too long though.