‘ Male, pale & stale’ Fianna Fail blasted
Correspondent
FINE Gael MEP Maria Walsh has said the European Parliament can be “male, pale and stale” following Fianna Fail’s decision to run three candidates in their mid- 50s.
She made the comments days after Fianna Fail TD Barry Cowen won a selection convention in Mullingar to become his party’s candidate for the European elections in her Midlands- North- West constituency.
He beat Senators Niall Blaney and Lisa Chambers to get on the ticket.
During an interview with reporters at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, it was pointed out to Ms Walsh that the three candidates who have been selected to contest the election for Fianna Fail to date are all 56- year- old men whose names started with the letter B.
This includes Mr Cowen and current MEPS Billy Kelleher and Barry Andrews.
EXPERTS
Ms Walsh, 36, responded: “Male, pale and stale is a very common theme out here.
“I think actually when you look at our society in Ireland, our society in the European Union, we are not a representation if we continue to send a certain age, a certain skin colour, a certain gendered people back here.
“The fact that a Governmental party has only elected or come through convention with three men, well that’s on them.
“I think for us, we returned four women in 2019. [ It was] surprising to some, probably my voter base being most surprised in terms of MidlandsNorth- West returning two.”
When it was put to Mr Andrews on Tuesday that Fianna Fail’s candidates for the European election are all men, he responded: “It isn’t a good look. I think you’re right.”
He said: “We didn’t do great in 2019. We had two female candidates. The final tickets haven’t been settled at this stage. It’s not a great look.
“There is no defence for that. It is a hands- up job.”
RUSSELL MYERS
PRINCE William expressed his thanks for the outpouring of support for his wife Kate and his father the King amid their health battles.
The Prince of Wales yesterday returned to work for the first time since Kate had serious abdominal surgery in hospital.
She spent nearly two weeks at the London Clinic last month b e f o r e r e t u r n i n g h o me t o Windsor to start her recovery, which will keep her away from royal duties until after Easter.
And on Monday, Buckingham Palace delivered the shocking news that King Charles had been diagnosed with cancer.
After a whirlwind few weeks, William got back to royal duties by presiding over an investiture at Windsor Castle and t hen l e ndi ng hi s supp or t t o t h e London Air Ambulance at a charity gala.
To the delight of the audience, Wills, 41, entered the latter with Hollywood megastar and fellow pilot Tom Cruise, 61, who posed for pictures with crew members, paramedics and former patients.
MESSAGES
The prince said: “I’d like to take this opportunity to say thank you, also, for the kind messages of support for Catherine and for my father, especially in recent days. “It means a great deal to us all.” In a bid to lighten the mood aft er a t esting time, William joked: “It’s fair to say the past few weeks have had a rather ‘ medical’ focus. So I thought I’d come to an air ambulance function to get away from it all!
“I should also take this opportunity to give a mention to my – our – fellow pilot, Tom Cruise. Tom, huge thanks for supporting us tonight.”
William’s heartfelt words came just hours after his brother Prince Harry f l ew back to California following a f leeting 25- hour trip to London to see the ailing King at Clarence House.
The estranged duke was able to spend just 30 minutes with his father as the King was tired after beginning his cancer treatment on Monday, royal sources said.
Ha r r y, 3 9 , w a s s e e n a t Heathrow yesterday afternoon as he jetted home to see his family in Montecito. William had made no plans to see his brother and royal sources said he remained focused on his family and the extra duties he will be expected to fulfil in his father’s absence.
Charles, 75, went straight to S and r i ngham i n Nor f ol k t o c ontinu e hi s re c over y, af t er waving to well- wishers as he was driven to Buckingham Palace to board a helicopter. Royal sources confirmed last night that Charles is “doing well” and on “very good form”.
He had just spent three nights either side of an operation on an enlarged prostate at the same hospital where the Princess, 42, was b e i ng t re at ed , when i t emerged “a form of cancer” had been found.
Aides confirmed the monarch does not have prostate cancer, one of the biggest killers of men.
He will return to London for weekly treatment.
Downing Street last night took the unusual step of confirming details about a personal phone call between Rishi Sunak and the King.
It is likely the Prime Minister rang to wish Charles well, ahead of their regular audiences which are likely to resume on February 21.