Government - not quite the bed of roses that Labour might have expected

Insider rarely tires of the vicissitudes of Galway politics. The city and county’s petty intrigues, feverish whisperings, internecine squabbles, and comical characters are usually enough to keep even the most amateur political observer entertained.

Nolan and Keaveney - this county ain’t big enough for the both of us

Grassroots - An inside look at local politics – from the pens of the politicians themselves

Galway is set to become the battleground for an internecine struggle over who will be elected chair of the Labour Party this month as both the party’s Galway TDs - Derek Nolan (Galway West) and Colm Keaveney (Galway East) are understood to be touting for support among their parliamentary colleagues.

In many ways, it will be a battle of opposites. Dep Keaveney poached the final seat in the constituency last February in what was his seventh electoral outing, having fought for every first preference he ever got in an area with little tradition of Labour support.

Labour needs to watch its left flank

Grassroots - An inside look at local politics – from the pens of the politicians themselves

The recent enlistment of Johnny Walsh, who served as an Independent councillor on Ballinasloe Town Council for the past 13 years, into The Labour Party, might seem like a ‘small fry’ incident in local parish politics, but it is in fact, far from that.

Cllr Walsh’s move to Labour indicates that while the local elections are more than two years away for voters, as far as the political parties are concerned they are just around the corner.

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• Labour needs to watch its left flank
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• ‘Optical’ Friday sittings not availed of by Galway West TDs
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• How will Budget 2012 really affect Irish politics?
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