Hazel Chu: Has Diversity Politics Come Back to Haunt the Greens?

Has Hazel Chu reached too far and tipped over the boat? Or was there some other motive to her gambit to which we are not privy? Despite the rancour from some elements of the Green Parliamentary Party at her attempt to run as an independent candidate for the Seanad by-election, the Party officially decided to defer discussing motions of no confidence against her.

As reported, there are talks ongoing regarding the establishment of a schismatic eco-socialist grouping from within the husk of the Green Party known as “An Rabharta Glas – Green Left.” Don’t fear if your Irish isn’t up to snuff because some elements of the fledgling group want to scrap the Irish section entirely, with a quote purportedly from Jack Nealon stating “Do we need an Irish name? A lot of people will just use the English anyway” at the inaugural meeting on October 10th 2020.

There is nothing particularly revelatory in the (rather childish and barebones) documents, and indeed the musterings of a coup or schism was long in the making. Green Party TDs had already signalled certain suspicion that the “Just Transition Greens” group was a shadow-party preparing for a schism. It would appear that when one scratches a little below the surface that this new “Green Left” is merely that fear by Green Party TDs coming to fruition.

The “Just Transition” affiliate group had originally been touted as an internal Green Party pressure group, but very quickly opened its doors to non-Green Party members and became something else entirely. Based on “Momentum” and its relation with the Labour Party in the UK, the JTG became little more than the conduit for subversive Communist elements.

As the leaked documents show, the JTG and this proto-party share a great deal of overlap in membership — with many ex-members of the Greens, who were previously affiliated with the JTG during their party stint, populating the minutes of the “Green Left” party, including Lorna Bogue (the first chair of the JTG), and the former chairs of the Queer Greens and Young Greens (Tara Gilsenane and Tiernan Mason). Ms Gilsenane at the time alleged that the Green Party ignored sexual harassment within the party ranks.

It should be noted that one name noticeably absent from the minutes was Tate Donnelly, who was also a member of the JTG and was quoted at the time of its launch. Tate Donnelly, for the uninitiated, was one of the many individuals unmasked by the IrishAntifa Project (article here).

With this information in mind, it paints Hazel Chu’s comments that she “might” accept the Green Party whip if successful in her Seanad bid in a new light. It also explains her candour in stating that while she “may” risk losing her position as Chair of the Green Party, she doesn’t think it likely or realistic. These are the words of someone safe in the knowledge that the internal machinations of the Green Party will work to empower their own greed and lust for ego and power.

Mrs. Chu has not hitched her wagon to the Green Party for the long-haul, her loyalty is (by her own admission) dependent upon how “talks go” with the Green Party if her candidacy is successful. Chu holds the cards, given that the Greens’ leadership will likely be trying to mitigate the damage, and she has outside options if her gamble backfires. 

We have been in the position before where a partner in Government suffered a breakaway, but can we draw parallels from history? I believe we can to some extent, but not in the favour of the schismatics. When the PDs formed they were appealing to a cross-section of society which was not strictly catered too — too green for Fine Gael, too blue for Fianna Fáil, and was headed by successful constituency operators.

The “JTG”/”ARG-GL” (try saying that five times fast) will not have that luxury this time. They will be competing against a plethora of micro-groups on the Left with no discernible identity and a reputation for treachery which does not endear partners or longevity. The mooted party has not even formed, and yet already internal documents are being leaked in the hopes of damaging rivals. Internal bickering going so far as different committees waging war against each other. Minutes from the most recent “Strategy Committee” meeting on March 18th of this month read that “policy group has gone off rails and needs to be realed (sic) in.” While they have a number of councillors supposedly expressing interest, only one was ready to make an immediate defection, and the highest profile directly involved was just a failed candidate, Saoirse McHugh.

This author does not believe that the schism is actually feasible or well planned but is rather “fantasy-porn” for the rejects who are too ambitious for PBP but not competent enough to climb the rungs in the Greens. To evidence this I would point to the exodus of those from the Green Party who cannot bear the responsibility of government (at least four councillors so far alongside the chairs of three Green Party affiliate organisations), and also to the puerile standard of their leaked documents. 

Nor do I believe that the outcome of the Seanad election for Mayor Chu will fundamentally alter the arithmetic. She is unlikely to win the seat unless enough Fianna Fáilers abandon Gerry Horkan (which isn’t unthinkable for their more serpentine pro-abortion campaigners in the Seanad, and given Mr Horkan’s pro-life credentials), and she somehow wins the near unanimous support of the micro-parties, independents, and Sinn Féin.

In all likelihood, the leaking of these documents to the media will ensure that the party never formally launches and simply dissolves as their conspiracy has been revealed prematurely. 

Rather, this internal squabbling will drain the Green Party of vitality and cohesion, and will in all likelihood see their wipe out in the next General Election compounded. When Eamon Ryan is left holding nothing but cinders once again, the JTG agitants will move on to the next victim of their haughtiness and unjustified ego. We Nationalists should hope it’s Sinn Féin.