Barry Cowen calls for ‘modern centre-left’ alliance with Labour

The Fianna Fáil backbencher said a centre-left link-up between the two parties would ward off the ‘nuclear option’ of people voting for the ‘left and far left’

Taoiseach Micheál Martin. Most FF members now expect questions over the party’s leadership to be put on hold until the meeting in September. Picture: Collins

Barry Cowen, the Fianna Fáil backbencher, has called on his party to form a new “modern centre-left” alliance with the Labour Party for the next election.

It comes after Taoiseach Micheál Martin agreed at last week’s Fianna Fáil parliamentary party meeting to have a special in-person meeting on September 1 to discuss its future direction.

Cowen, who had called for such a meeting in a letter to Fianna Fáil TDs, said that Labour was the ...