Sharp turn left ahead as Labour hit record popularity

So Labour is now the most popular party in Ireland. After decades (if not centuries) of being screwed by a wealthy elite, we're finally thinking of voting for the party that says "We're against people being screwed by a wealthy elite".

The historical absence of a left is usually explained by pointing to Fianna Fáil. (To be frank there isn't a lot in Irish politics that can't be explained by pointing to Fianna Fáil, especially if you shrug at the same time.) Despite being the party most beloved of business and property, FF's populism means they are sometimes seen as a sort of substitute for socialists.

 Left Lite, if you will. But any actual socialism present at FF's foundation has long been concreted over. It may have started as a revolutionary movement, but once it became established as the 'natural party of government' it was soon colonised by the sort of person who sees a political party as a step up from the golf club.  

 And yet, FF was conservative with a difference. While the Tories can rule Britain with support from only a few of the most benighted poor, our electoral system means that to win a majority of seats you have to actually win a majority of the votes. Crazy idea, I know. And in a country with high levels of poverty, that meant FF had to really cultivate the have-nots – which could most visibly be done by direct government handout.

Then of course there was the religious factor. Fianna Fáil's relationship with the Catholic Church started out warily enough under de Valera, who limited the Church to just a special position in the constitution and managerial authority over almost all education, health and welfare. Closer co-operation between the twin powers of FF and the CC was inevitable however, and so the Church accepted socialist-style things like giving money to poor people through non-religious channels, while condemning actual socialists as Godless communists in league with Russia against the Virgin Mary.

That hegemony now of course is as bankrupt as, well, the banks. FF's reputation as the country's most church-friendly party has gone from major asset to stupendous liability, while its rush to protect private wealth by giving away public money undermined any remaining pretence of being for the people. As a political movement, it's a busted flush.

But the same is true of Fine Gael. Who can say what FG really stands for these days, apart from not being FF? The irony is that under recent leaders they've ended up being one of the better excuses to vote for them. Any time people bayed for the Taoiseach to step down he only had to say "You seriously want Enda Kenny?" and the crowd would fall silent and disperse. FG are in the throes of finding a new leader as I write, but it's rearranging deckchairs on the Titanic. They'll just elect another deckchair.

So now, thorough a process of elimination, it's the turn of the good old Godless communists. The only question that remains is how they will make a difference. Socialists in government are supposed to overspend, raise taxes, pile up the national debt and take over the banks. It seems they're going to have nothing to do.