‘Daniel McCrossan: The Hypocrite’s Hypocrite ‘ by Donal Lavery

SDLP politicians always have larger than life egos which their erudition and analyses skills rarely, if ever, appear to live up to; and by God this isn’t lost on Danny Boy dearest. From the beginning, there was quite a rift over his selection as a candidate for the Assembly, with some SDLP folk resigning and others having alleged misconduct against him in a letter of complaint (reference below). But given Mr Eastwood’s dismal failure to revive the SDLP’s fortunes, it would seem likely that Mr McCrossan may be elevated as a replacement soon, in an attempt to put a new young face on an old, expired party. Or they may even become so “green” they will start recycling their past leaders. But he has a problem, a rather big one in the “scheme” of things (no pun intended), given that it brought down the Executive and is the subject of a public inquiry – including an investigation of who advocated for RHI and why.
Here’s the guy, and a law graduate at that, who went on social media to publicly castigate Sinn Fein for closing the RHI scheme to any new applicants, using his Twitter account to ferociously attack the conclusion of the Renewable Heat Initiative last February. He opined, in lamenting Jonathan Bell, that to end this disaster would hurt businesses and create a mere “call-centre economy”. Then, in all his Greek hubris, this quintessential Redmondite went on to ridicule the same scheme he was once fundamentally supporting, come October – when he thought the dust had settled in the public memory. People aren’t goldfish, Daniel!
Here’s the guy who puts every other party’s expenses on social media, while overlooking the fact that Alasdair McDonnell has one of the highest amounts of all MPs from the North, including substantial mortgage interest, but a farcical attendance record at Westminster. Here’s the guy who overlooks the allegation that Carmel Hanna, the former SDLP head of Stormont’s ethics watch-dog, was claiming office expenses for nearly a decade on an office owned by her accountant husband. Here’s the guy who thinks taking his seat in the British Parliament is going to inhibit the Tories from using the Royal Prerogative to force through their Brexit arrangements – when clearly he knows the intricacies of UK law.
Now people will forgive someone for getting an answer wrong, but what they won’t do is forget about someone getting their overall judgement wrong on such a controversial issue that will cost the public a fortune for years to come. As an auditor-in-training, I don’t need to write an article to put this man in his place, Barry McElduff handed him his proverbial head on a plate at a recent hustings, but I think this earlier episode of support for something he is now trying to capitalise on politically via public anger should be noted by any honest, self-respecting person. You can fool some people some of the time, but not all the people all of the time, Danny Boy! And to think this guy, with all his wisdom, is a member of our Public Accounts Committee? To think he is now being stood as a Westminster candidate after advocating for this bloated waste of public monies? If you didn’t laugh you would cry!
-The information for this article is derived from media coverage by the Irish News (an SDLP-centric  paper), the (Unionist) Belfast Telegraph and other outlets – including the SDLP’s own website from the time (links below); so that Daniel McCrossan or any of his associates do not feel wrongly represented therein.

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30 Responses to ‘Daniel McCrossan: The Hypocrite’s Hypocrite ‘ by Donal Lavery

  1. michael c June 4, 2017 at 12:04 pm #

    The SDLP excel at employing their spouses and other family members too.

  2. The pope June 4, 2017 at 2:24 pm #

    Excel??? Away and ,,,,

    • Jude Collins June 4, 2017 at 3:11 pm #

      TP – I’m tempted to respond ‘Agus tú fein’ but I won’t. Instead I’m taking down your comment. Please don’t engage in abuse again or I’ll block you.

  3. michael c June 4, 2017 at 2:37 pm #

    A very un papal response your holiness but according to the BBC,as recently as 2014 – Alex Atwood employed his brother,John Dallat his wife,Joe Byrne his wife,Dolores Kelly her husband,Karen McKevitt her son and her daughter.The BBC also says that AT that time NO SF MLA employed a relative.

  4. Alex June 4, 2017 at 2:53 pm #

    There is another area of hypocrisy on the SDLP’s part which has not yet been exposed by any journalist worth their investigative salt.
    The SDLP have recently been casting aspersions with a nod and a wink in SF’s direction about postal/proxy fraud as they clearly are feeling the heat of the SF campaigns in Foyle and South Down.
    At the most recent assembly elections a clise relative of none other than Mr McCrossan himself who had sadly passed away, cast their postal vote despite postal votes not being issued until after he had passed away….check it out.

    • Raymond McMahon June 4, 2017 at 10:25 pm #

      I have also got evidence, which I have brought to the attention of the electoral office of a “holier than though” unionist lady who has voted in the last 3 elections by postal vote despite the fact that she was dead. she would be turning in her grave if she thought she had voted SF

  5. Hugh. June 4, 2017 at 3:12 pm #

    Looks like

    • Jude Collins June 4, 2017 at 3:13 pm #

      Hugh – no more abuse. Not acceptable.

  6. michael c June 4, 2017 at 3:53 pm #

    What did Hugh say?

    • Jude Collins June 4, 2017 at 4:06 pm #

      Something juvenile and not acceptable, michael – trust me…

  7. Juan de Compostelo June 4, 2017 at 4:56 pm #

    So, all politicians are philanderers, then, is what you are trying to say Jude? Not a fan of many of these dudes, but one thing that does appeal to me is seeing someone elected actually taking their seat. If they can take the cash, they can take the seat.

    After all, it’s good enough for the SNP nationalists and they are looking set to achieve their goal a little more timely than Sinn Fein…. just saying.

    • Jude Collins June 4, 2017 at 6:05 pm #

      You may be talking sense, J d C, or you may be talkiing tosh; but you’re talking to the wrong person. Check the author, please.

  8. fiosrach June 4, 2017 at 5:29 pm #

    Take the seat,take the cash,take the oath …… just saying.

    • Jude Collins June 4, 2017 at 6:06 pm #

      That’s predicated on the belief, fiosrach, that appearing in the chamber and blurting out a sentence or two every two months amounts to something.

      • Scott Rutherford June 4, 2017 at 7:07 pm #

        You could make the same argument about the EU parliament Jude.

        • Jude Collins June 5, 2017 at 3:40 pm #

          Fair point, Scott. Although somehow the Irish representation in Europe seem to have got Brexit and the border high up on the agenda…

      • giordanobruno June 4, 2017 at 7:34 pm #

        Jude
        Are there not votes on things occasionally?
        Might there be a vote on special status for NI in the future?

        • Jude Collins June 5, 2017 at 3:41 pm #

          Fair point, Scott. Although somehow the Irish representation in Europe seem to have got Brexit and the border high up on the agenda…

        • Jude Collins June 5, 2017 at 3:43 pm #

          Could be, gio. But the history of Irish MPs in the last 50 years approx is not terrific. I think it was Gerry Fitt who managed a vote that ushered in Thatcher. Apart from that…But yes, I concede it is possible that Irish MPs could be kingmakers. But I’d be tempted to a bet they won’t. Whaddyatink?

          • giordanobruno June 5, 2017 at 6:32 pm #

            Jude
            SF have made a lot of special status recently. They have been pushing strongly for it.
            As have the SDLP.
            I would have thought special status would require the UK government and possibly the Irish government to request it of the EU.
            And for that to happen it would surely require the assent of parliament.
            That would be a crucial vote and a few votes might swing it.
            But no SF members would be there to vote on special status, a key point of their manifesto, and maybe an important stepping stone towards a united Ireland.
            I understand the reasoning behind their refusal to take the oath as a matter of principle and I am sympathetic to that stance.
            But people who vote for them so they can fight for special status may wonder if they should not be more pragmatic.

            If Direct Rule is implemented as seems likely there may well be other votes of a crucial nature for us where they could make a difference.

            I would be interested in hearing if any constitutional experts out there would agree that special status would involve a vote in Westminster.

          • Jude Collins June 5, 2017 at 6:47 pm #

            Gio – as a confirmed failure in forecasting the future, I accept that it’s possible SF MPs in the Commons could swing some vital vote. However, as I’ve said already, the record of Irish MPs doing that is limited. If I was a betting man – which I am from time to time – I’d be open to betting that the SF MPs elected – whatever their number – will not make any difference by abstaining. They are, however, testimony to the will of nationalists and republicans that the north receive special status, and their influence through Dublin and Europe is considerable. But your vision of what may develop could be accurate. Although I’d still think about a bet against it.

      • fiosrach June 4, 2017 at 11:36 pm #

        I was referring to the “Social Democratic and Labour Party”, Jude

  9. michael c June 4, 2017 at 7:46 pm #

    The thing is no SF MP takes a Westminster salary.They claim office expenses to run the best constituency service on this Island.Other parties take a massive salary plus office expenses and do virtually SFA for their constituents.

  10. Juan de Compostelo June 4, 2017 at 8:36 pm #

    Take the seat, bring it to the heart of where you’re effectively being governed from.

    Be a thorn in their sides, right in the midst of them, if the cause is so important, an oath, a salary, surely there are ways around these things whilst retaining principles…. to make voices heard.

    • Sherdy June 4, 2017 at 8:53 pm #

      How can you be a thorn in their sides if you belong to a minority party and don’t have speaking rights?

    • Jude Collins June 5, 2017 at 3:44 pm #

      See my response to gio, J d C…

      • Juan de Compostelo June 6, 2017 at 6:13 pm #

        Not an answer JC.

        Unfortunately, I’m not into hypotheticals and wagers, nor do I think it’s as trivial as a ‘betting matter’ whether or not the Shinners, duly elected, would make any difference or not in the House of Commons.

        But at least there, they’d be heard. And on some issues, by being there, would be able to affect other policy outcomes. That’s democracy.

        It would certainly possibly annoy the establishment enough to sit up and take notice a wee bit more………

        • Jude Collins June 6, 2017 at 6:59 pm #

          Well I thought it was an answer, J de C. In any case, your argument sounds suspiciously like that put forward by life-long Labour Party people who cheerfully sank their bums into the comfort of the House of Lords eventually, arguing that it gave them a platform. I mean, come ON….And have you seen the video of the former SDLP leader having a snooze during a heated debate? You couldn’t make it up..

          • Juan de Compostelo June 6, 2017 at 9:22 pm #

            Not at all JC. Not a fan of Labour either.

            In truth, my argument is reflective of someone, a young voter and citizen, who is sick of the status quo.

            Someone who would like to see an alternative approach to resolving a stalemate, and misrepresentation, by embracing alternative means.

            Someone who is fed up with all the rhetoric, and the orange vs green, the dinosaur politics you yourself have grown up with. The young don’t want that any more.

            Ask a young person, about the value to their lives, in Sinn Fein not sitting in London out of principle. It doesn’t mean much, that is why the SDLP will keep bringing that up.

            All the diehards; admirable. Thanks for keeping us all in the dark ages, for keeping our part of the world in the doldrums. By not standing up, out of ‘principle’, you actually keep the status quo which I suspect, you are all addicted to, and seem unable to ever depart from.

  11. Gaz June 6, 2017 at 5:10 am #

    Goes to show John Hume left his party in a fine mess whilst the part of Ian Paisley lives on