THE LABOUR Party and Independent politician Thomas Pringle have clashed over claims that he was approached to join the party and to stand in Donegal South West at the General Election on March 11.
Cllr Pringle – a former Sinn Fein member – says he met senior Labour representatives at the Abbey Hotel in Donegal Town on December 20th.
He said he didn’t know whether or not the party wanted him to stand alone in the constituency for the party or alongside Cllr Frank McBrearty who contested the by-election for Labour.
A Labour Party spokesman said: “Frank McBrearty is our candidate. I understand that we did have people in Donegal South West…and did have various conversations at various levels but no formal approach was made to Cllr Pringle.”
Donegaldaily.com has learned however that Labour strategists did want Pringle on a two-candidate ticket.
They believed the combination of the Pringle and McBrearty vote could bring them a seat, with whoever didn’t get elected being handed a seat in the Seanad.
Cllr Pringle said: “I was told that if I was unsuccessful there would be a seat in the Senate for me.”
He plans to run as an independent in the constituency.
