Politics

Fourth Labour councillor calls for leader Brendan Howlin to stand down

Party sources say latest bout of unrest caused by recent opinion polls

Mr Howlin succeeded Joan Burton as Labour leader in May 2016.

Aine McMahon
Fiach Kelly
Fri Aug 3 2018 - 19:45

Labour leader Brendan Howlin is facing further calls to resign from within his own party.

Another councillor has called for Mr Howlin to stand down, the fourth in recent days.

Pamela Kearns, a member of South Dublin County Council, said “only a change of leadership and a fresh approach can unite the party and achieve the momentum we need to move forward”.

Ms Kearns said she had not been talking to anybody in the parliamentary Labour party on the issue, but insisted change was needed.

READ MORE

She followed on from Laois Councillor Noel Tuohy, Kerry councillor Terry O’Brien and Mick Duff, another South Dublin representative, calling for Mr Howlin to go.

Party sources said the latest bout of unrest was caused by recent opinion polls which saw Labour drop behind the Independent Alliance nationally, and dip to four per cent in Dublin.

However, it was claimed by a number of parliamentary party members that Mr Howlin’s position is not under threat.

Mr Howlin succeeded Joan Burton as Labour leader in May 2016. There was no contest as the former minister for public expenditure and reform was the only candidate put forward.

The party has seven TDs, down from 37 following the 2011 General Election.

LATEST STORIES