Labour Senator Mark Wall, one of the three party members who met with Alan Kelly before his decision to step down, has said “there was no knife” and that Mr Kelly had said he wanted to step down.
However, when questioned on RTÉ radio’s Today with Claire Byrne show, Senator Wall clarified that Mr Kelly had “accepted the point” made by the three representatives about the party’s current standing and the need for a change of leadership.
There had been “intense” meetings over the past few days within the parliamentary party, after which the three party representatives asked to meet with Mr Kelly.
“We are a small united party, unfortunately the decision was taken to go talk to Alan.”
The people of Ireland needed the Labour Party more than ever, he said. When asked if there was a “grand plan” Senator Wall said “unfortunately not”, but that the party wanted to build for the future.
The only issues that had been presented to Mr Kelly were the party’s poll numbers and legacy issues. The ‘culture issue’ had not come up, he said.
The Labour Party was working to change Ireland and needed a leader to reflect that, he added.
“Politics is not nice at times, this is one of those occasions.”
Senator Wall said “it all happened very fast”, phone calls to local councillors were continuing, he had called as many councillors as he could to tell them what was happening and there would be a meeting of councillors next week.
“We want the party to be united behind the new leader.”
There were three possible candidates he said – Ivana Bacik, Duncan Smith and Aodhan O Riordain.
'Horrific'
The former general secretary of the Labour Party, Ray Kavanagh has expressed shock at the resignation of Alan Kelly as leader of the party.
The idea that Alan Kelly should resign “just as he was getting into his stride” post pandemic was “horrific” Mr Kavanagh told Newstalk Breakfast.
“He was elected by the party members, apparently the parliamentary party asked him to resign, and he accepted their mandate. But his mandate comes from the people.”
Mr Kavanagh said there appeared to be a fear among some members of the parliamentary party about Alan Kelly, that he was provincial. The party needed someone to represent working class people.
While the liberal causes that the party had espoused in recent years such as divorce, marriage equality and Repeal of the Eighth amendment, had been important, the focus now needed to be about the day-to-day struggles for working people, he said.
The struggle to pay the mortgage, to pay rent, to buy food – the party should focus on that, said Mr Kavanagh. The core value of the Labour Party had to be fighting the cause of working people and tackling issues such as housing and the health service.
Need for a generational change
Later on RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland Labour Senator Marie Sherlock said it had been a sad few days for the party, that Alan Kelly had given everything to the party, but that leadership was not something to be held onto at all cost.
The reality was that the party needed a generational change, a fresh start and that had to start at the top of the party, she said. The decision was not personal, the challenge now was to grow the Labour Party.
Post pandemic the Labour Party’s values and vision had never been more important. Alan Kelly had taken on board the fact that changes needed to be made. The legacy from 2011 to 2016 was still having an impact on the party, she added.
“This is about moving ahead, getting on with the work that is expected of the party.”
To survive the Labour Party needed to change, a clear message needed to be sent to the electorate that “this is a generational change, we can have a different Ireland.”
