Bradley Bytes – a sort of political column with Dara Bradley

The decision by yes campaigner, and Fianna Fáil leader in the Seanad, Lisa Chambers, to out herself as a ‘no’ voter after the care and family referendums were rejected was one of the most breathtakingly cynical manoeuvres to occur in a country that has produced its fair share of two-faced politicians.

It’s one thing to vote no, as a majority of Fianna Fáil voters did, according to exit polls. Among the silent majority were Galway West TD, Éamon Ó Cuív and, one suspects, many other FF councillors in Galway. Dev Óg voted no no, but to his credit stayed out of the campaign.

But to actively canvass for a yes vote, and then vote no, and have the neck to come out and say that afterwards – in a shameless effort to curry favour with the electorate – was snake-like in the extreme.

A hypocrite, it’s clear cynical Chambers misled voters by canvassing for one thing and doing another.

The Mayo Senator, who has a new-found interest in Galway now that she’s running in the European Parliament elections in Midlands North-West, said she changed her mind after the Attorney General’s advice was leaked to The Ditch, an online media organisation.

Maybe she did. Or maybe she always intended to vote no and just didn’t have the courage of her convictions. It’s clear she should not have canvassed for yes; this sort of grubbiness debases politics and brings the profession into disrepute.

As detailed below, is it any wonder the party grassroots didn’t warm to her in the campaign to be selected at Convention as the FF candidate for the European Parliament election?

Her party colleague, Councillor MJ Crowe, put it well when he tweeted: “Politicians campaigning for one outcome and voting for another outcome should find another occupation.”

(Photo: Fianna Fail Senator Lisa Chambers canvassed for one outcome in the referendum but voted the opposite way herself)
This is a shortened preview version of this column. For more Bradley Bytes, see the March 15 edition of the Galway City Tribune. You can buy a digital edition HERE.