Elaine Roe, 61, a cafe worker, has no doubt what is the most important issue in this week’s byelection for Dublin’s north inner city. “The government is wrecking our country, they’re bringing in rapists and murderers and kidnappers. It’s a shame. I might vote Hutch, he seems a normal person.’
That would be Gerry “the monk” Hutch, a prominent gangland figure who is running as an independent in an election that is far from normal. The 63-year-old – who was jailed for robbery convictions in his youth – is a celebrity candidate in a contest for a parliamentary seat that has been dominated by xenophobia and immigration.
Voters in the Dublin Central constituency will cast ballots on Friday, with results on Saturday, but one outcome is already clear: hostility to newcomers, especially Black immigrants and Muslims, has entered Ireland’s political mainstream.
Wonder how long they’ll keep the system if people keep voting the wrong way, eh?
Lol
Threaten to ban shell suits. That’d soon tame the Northsiders.
Gerry The Monk Hutch doesn’t sound all bad.
I’d vote for him
Get out, ye Blacks and Tans.
Hutch stood in the 2024 general election. It’s 4-member constituency under STV and it was close; he was in 4th place until the last round, when he missed out on the 4th seat by 5,321 to 6,102.
But this is a by-election, so there’s only one seat up for grabs; it’ll be a huge upset if he wins.
Didnt that twat Varadker just win the last seat ?
When they start considering the Irish gangsters to be the less venal alternative . . .