McWilliams may contest election

ECONOMIST DAVID McWilliams is giving serious consideration to contesting the general election in Dún Laoghaire as an Independent candidate under an umbrella movement expected to be known as the “New Ireland Movement”.

Mr McWilliams joined about 25 people at a meeting in Greystones, on Saturday. At the meeting were two people who had worked on Barack Obama’s campaign.

Also present was Evelyn Cawley, who contested the 2007 general election in Wicklow as an Independent after Mr McWilliams launched her campaign. “I wouldn’t be surprised if you see something or hear something very soon,” Ms Cawley said, when asked if Mr McWilliams would contest.

“If David McWilliams was going, I would certainly be supporting him . . . As stand-alone people they are not going to make an impact, there’ll have to be a cohesive grouping of Independent people,” she added.