Frankfurt's Way or Labour's Way

"Frankfurt's Way or Labour's Way" (sometimes repeated as "Labour's Way or Frankfurt's Way")[1] was a campaign slogan used by the then Irish Labour Party leader Eamon Gilmore in advance of the country's 2011 general election. The phrase has become an archetypal example of a broken election promise in Irish politics. Described as "a desperate attempt to get votes",[2] Gilmore claimed on 3 February 2011 that the Labour Party (if put into power) would renegotiate the recent EU-IMF deal brought in under the Fianna Fáil-Green Party coalition. The promise was made as Gilmore launched Labour's economic plan. Frankfurt (in Germany) is the location of the headquarters of the European Central Bank (ECB).[3] The party made a very strong showing, almost doubling its share of the vote to become the second-largest party in the Dáil, its best showing ever.[4] It then formed its own coalition with Fine Gael, but did not renegotiate the deal.

In 2012, after a decline of 25 per cent in their vote previous year's election evaporated, the Irish Independent said the Labour Party was "haunted" by the promise.[2] The following month, the European Fiscal Compact was enshrined in the Constitution, thereby ensuring the very fiscal compliance Labour had vowed to oppose.[5] Gilmore's promise was also mentioned following the rush through the Oireachtas of legislation to liquidate IBRC in 2013.[6] Even Labour stalwart Fergus Finlay admitted in 2015 that it was "a phrase he [Gilmore] had difficulty living down".[7] However, Alan Kelly claimed "A lot of Labour's way was achieved" when quizzed on Gilmore's promise in 2015.[8]

In Labour's centenary year, state television (RTÉ) produced a two-part documentary on the history of the party, titled Labour's Way.[9]

References
  1. "'Labour's Way Or Frankfurt's Way' Latest". Broadsheet. 1 April 2011.
    - "Letters to the Editor: Labour's way, Frankfurt's way - or back to the old ways". The Independent. Ireland. 1 November 2014.
    - A Dark day for Labour
    - Niall Stokes (28 May 2014). "Broken promises in a broken system". Hot Press.
  2. "Labour haunted by old slogans". The Independent. Ireland. 18 May 2012.
  3. Harry McGee (4 February 2011). "Gilmore vows to renegotiate 'bad deal' on EU-IMF bailout package". The Irish Times.
  4. "Irish election: Enda Kenny claims opposition victory". BBC News. 26 February 2011. Retrieved 7 November 2018.
    - Doyle, Kilian (27 February 2011). "Fine Gael poised to lead next government as FF collapses". The Irish Times. Retrieved 7 November 2018.
    - McDonald, Henry (27 February 2011). "Fianna Fáil trounced as Fine Gael and Labour set to form coalition". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 7 November 2018.
  5. Vincent Browne (5 June 2012). "Tonight with #vinb: We now know Labour's way is Frankfurt's way". Magill.
  6. Fedayn (7 February 2013). "Frankfurt's Way". Rabble.
  7. Fergus Finlay (14 July 2015). "Dáil could lose its way without politicians of vision and principle". The Irish Examiner.
  8. Alan Kelly (23 February 2015). "Saying Labour hasn't delivered is just 'lazy media spin'". The Journal. Dublin.
  9. Adrian Grant (28 April 2013). "Labour's Way". Irish History Review. Archived from the original on 29 February 2016.


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