Share

cover art for Sinn Féin's growing pains

Daily Politics from the New Statesman

Sinn Féin's growing pains

In 2020, Sinn Féin, a left-wing party born out of Ireland’s nationalist movement, claimed victory. At the time Ireland’s two major parties, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, went into coalition with each other, preventing Sinn Fein from forming a government. Sinn Fein’s leader, Mary-Lou McDonald proudly claimed that she would be the first female Taoiseach.


Four years later, support for the left-wing has markedly dropped, scandals have surrounded them on both sides of the border, and party political identities have become blurred.


But when Ireland heads to the polls next week, what will be at the forefront of voter's minds? And how will issues of economy, housing, and immigration decide trajectory of the country's future?


Kate Lamble is joined by Eoin O'Malley, Finn McRedmond, Conor Kelly, and Dan O'Brien.

SAVE £££ THIS CHRISTMAS:

⭐️ Gift big ideas, bold politics, and proper journalism from just £2


LISTEN AD-FREE:

📱Download the New Statesman app


MORE FROM THE NEW STATESMAN:

Ask a question – we answer them every Friday

Get our daily politics newsletter every morning

✍️ Enjoy the best of our writing via email every Saturday

More episodes

View all episodes

  • Do leasehold reforms go far enough?

    27:20|
    Millions of leaseholders in England and Wales will get their ground rents capped at £250 per year as part of Labour’s long-promised overhaul of a hated system.Reforms also include proposals to ban the sale of new leasehold flats, in a bid to give people greater control over their homes.Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Will Dunn.
  • Shabana Mahmood's new police force

    29:14|
    The Home Secretary’s known for her blue Labour roots, a tough stance on immigration and has just proposed what she calls the “biggest ever” policing reforms for centuries.Tom McTague joins Oli Dugmore.
  • Burnham blocked, Braverman defects

    31:50|
    Yesterday, Keir Starmer’s camp blocked Andy Burnham’s plans to return to parliament. Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Ailbhe Rea to discuss how this has landed inside the party. But first, another defection in the one way pipeline from Conservative to Reform.
  • Trump’s stand-up routine in Davos

    25:58|
    In a tumultuous week in geopolitics, Donald Trump delivered a bizarre speech in Davos. Will Dunn finds the moments of (unintentional) humour amidst the chaos.Anoosh Chakelian is joined by Will to for a rundown of this mad week.
  • What happens when an MP defects?

    28:47|
    Robert Jenrick's defection prompted a lot of listener questions. So we'll try to answer them!Last week Robert Jenrick dramatically defected to Reform after being booted out of the Conservatives by a furious Kemi Badenoch. The Tory leader claimed that she had "irrefutable evidence" that Jenrick had been planning to defect in "the most damaging way possible". So she sacked him from the government and removed the Conservative whip.This prompted a lot of listeners to write in to Daily Politics with questions about the Jenrick defection, the future of Reform, and what it means for the Conservatives.Megan Kenyon and Ethan Croft selected the best of your questions, and do their best to answer them in this listener questions edition of Daily Politics from the New Statesman.
  • Is this Andy Burnham’s moment?

    26:55|
    Andrew Gwynne, the MP for Gorton and Denton in Greater Manchester, has resigned.This opens up the path for another Andrew, King of the North and Labour leadership hopeful, Andy Burnham, to return to Westminster. Ailbhe Rea joins Anoosh Chakelian.
  • The UK must crawl back to Europe

    24:49|
    With Donald Trump threatening tariffs on the UK and eviscerating Keir Starmer on Truth Social, does the PM have no choice but run back into the arms of the EU? Many Labour MPs think yes.Tom McTague joins Rachel Cunliffe.
  • Student loans have screwed over a generation

    32:12|
    Cast your mind back to 2010…  Apple launched the ipad, a volcano erupted in Iceland and David Cameron and Nick Clegg passed a bill that would screw over a generation of young people.This was, of course, the decision to triple university tuition fees in England to £9,000 per yearOli Dugmore is joined by Rachel Cunliffe to discuss how this has radicalised graduates.
  • Trump escalates Greenland threats

    45:55|
    “Considering your country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace.” This is what Donald Trump wrote in a letter to Norway’s prime minister Jonas Gahr Støre this weekend.And true to his word, peace is not on the US President’s mind.Oli Dugmore speaks to the New Statesman's editor Tom McTague about Starmer's options, and in the second half of the episode, senior editor Katie Stallard interviews Rasmus Jarlov, chair of the Danish defence committee.