Frankfurt's Way or Labour's Way

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

"Frankfurt's Way or Labour's Way" (sometimes repeated as "Labour's Way or Frankfurt's Way"){{cite news |url=http://www.broadsheet.ie/2011/04/01/labours-way-or-frankfurts-way-latest/ |title='Labour's Way Or Frankfurt's Way' Latest |website=Broadsheet |date=1 April 2011}}
- {{cite news |url=http://www.independent.ie/opinion/letters/labours-way-frankfurts-way-or-back-to-the-old-ways-30709165.html |title=Letters to the Editor: Labour's way, Frankfurt's way - or back to the old ways |work=The Independent |location=Ireland |date=1 November 2014 }}
- [http://www.hotpress.com/Lynn-Boylan/politics/themessage/The-Message--A-Dark-Day-For-Labour/11554527.html A Dark day for Labour]
- {{cite news |url=http://www.munster-express.ie/opinion/to-be-honest-with-you/broken-promises-in-a-broken-system/ |title=Broken promises in a broken system |author=Niall Stokes |website=Hot Press |date=28 May 2014}} was a campaign slogan used by the then Irish Labour Party leader Eamon Gilmore in advance of the country's 2011 general election. The phrase has become an archetypal example of a broken election promise in Irish politics. Described as "a desperate attempt to get votes",{{cite news |url=http://www.independent.ie/opinion/editorial/labour-haunted-by-old-slogans-26854758.html |title=Labour haunted by old slogans |work=The Independent |location=Ireland |date=18 May 2012}} Gilmore claimed on 3 February 2011 that the Labour Party (if put into power) would renegotiate the recent EU-IMF deal brought in under the Fianna Fáil-Green Party coalition. The promise was made as Gilmore launched Labour's economic plan. Frankfurt (in Germany) is the location of the headquarters of the European Central Bank (ECB).{{cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/news/gilmore-vows-to-renegotiate-bad-deal-on-eu-imf-bailout-package-1.562612 |title=Gilmore vows to renegotiate 'bad deal' on EU-IMF bailout package |work=The Irish Times |author=Harry McGee |date=4 February 2011}} The party made a very strong showing, almost doubling its share of the vote to become the second-largest party in the Dáil, its best showing ever.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-12585048 |title=Irish election: Enda Kenny claims opposition victory |work=BBC News |date=26 February 2011 |accessdate=7 November 2018}}
- {{cite news|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/0227/breaking2.html |title=Fine Gael poised to lead next government as FF collapses |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=27 February 2011 |first=Kilian |last=Doyle |accessdate=7 November 2018}}
- {{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/feb/26/fianna-fail-irish-general-election |title=Fianna Fáil trounced as Fine Gael and Labour set to form coalition |work=The Guardian |author=McDonald, Henry |date=27 February 2011 |location=London |accessdate=7 November 2018}} It then formed its own coalition with Fine Gael, but did not renegotiate the deal.

In 2012, after a decline of 25 per cent in their vote previous year's election evaporated, the Irish Independent said the Labour Party was "haunted" by the promise. The following month, the European Fiscal Compact was enshrined in the Constitution, thereby ensuring the very fiscal compliance Labour had vowed to oppose.{{cite news |url=http://politico.ie/archive/tonight-vinb-we-now-know-labour%E2%80%99s-way-frankfurt%E2%80%99s-way |title=Tonight with #vinb: We now know Labour's way is Frankfurt's way |website=Magill |date=5 June 2012 |author=Vincent Browne}} Gilmore's promise was also mentioned following the rush through the Oireachtas of legislation to liquidate IBRC in 2013.{{cite news |url=http://www.rabble.ie/2013/02/07/frankfurts-way/ |title=Frankfurt's Way |website=Rabble |author=Fedayn |date=7 February 2013}} Even Labour stalwart Fergus Finlay admitted in 2015 that it was "a phrase he [Gilmore] had difficulty living down".{{cite news |url=http://www.irishexaminer.com/viewpoints/columnists/fergus-finlay/daacuteil-could-lose-its-way-without-politicians-of-vision-and-principle-342303.html |title=Dáil could lose its way without politicians of vision and principle |work=The Irish Examiner |author=Fergus Finlay |date=14 July 2015}} However, Alan Kelly claimed "A lot of Labour's way was achieved" when quizzed on Gilmore's promise in 2015.{{cite news |url=http://www.thejournal.ie/alan-kelly-lazy-media-spin-1954954-Feb2015/ |title=Saying Labour hasn't delivered is just 'lazy media spin' |work=The Journal |location=Dublin |author=Alan Kelly |date=23 February 2015}}

In Labour's centenary year, state television (RTÉ) produced a two-part documentary on the history of the party, titled Labour's Way.{{cite web |url=http://irishhistoryreview.com/wp/2013/04/28/labours-way/ |title=Labour's Way |author=Adrian Grant |work=Irish History Review |date=28 April 2013|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160229215827/http://irishhistoryreview.com/wp/2013/04/28/labours-way/ |archivedate=29 February 2016}}