Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
Updated 9.40am
THE ANTI-AUSTERITY Alliance has expelled a councillor who threatened to cut a political activist’s throat.
The Limerick branch of the AAA had asked John Loftus to resign as a Limerick city councillor last night after he sent a threatening Facebook message to local activist Greg Doran last Sunday morning.
The message read:
I tried to be nice. The next time I see you I’lll [sic] cut your fuckin throat. Insult me & you are dead. See you Monday.
Doran subsequently posted the private message to Twitter:
Loftus was requested to resign after the AAA Limerick branch met last night.
Having failed to attend the meeting and to so far accede to the resignation request, the party said this morning that it was immediately removing the councillor’s AAA membership.
In a statement this morning, the AAA Limerick branch described Loftus’ message as a “catastrophic misjudgement” from a public representative and said he is no longer considered a member of the party.
Activists felt that anything less than resignation as a councillor would not really be credible given the strong opposition in the community to threats, intimidation and violence, and would leave a question mark as to whether Cllr. Loftus or the AAA really treated this situation with the seriousness it deserves.
The meeting also felt that the qualified apology which Cllr. Loftus offered in the media yesterday demonstrated that he has indeed failed to register the seriousness of the situation. There is no context that justifies the threats he made.
Loftus could not be reached for comment this morning.
Despite being expelled from the AAA he is under no obligation to resign his council seat and can serve as an independent for the remainder of his term.
Speaking to TheJournal.ie yesterday, he expressed confidence he would not be thrown out of the AAA:
I doubt if I’ll be thrown out of the party. I’ve been here from the start.
Local councillor Cian Prendiville had said last night that if Loftus refused to resign he would no longer be considered a member of the AAA.
The threatening message was prompted by a row between Doran and Loftus over party funding.
Loftus described sending the message as a “moment of madness” and apologised yesterday, insisting he would “never hurt anybody in my life”.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Well this sounds like the Debenhams situation all over again told by email your job is gone with little else. Still dealing with the fall out from that 4 years later in the courts. I hope the staff are treated better than we the former Debenhams staff have been.
It’s too expensive to do business in this country anymore. This is only the beginning.
@Max Cooper: while I totally agree with you, unfortunately this has nothing to do with it, the UK went into administration last week, closed 7 stores with no notice yesterday with a further 100 to go, mass redundancies in head office with no notice either yesterday. It’s deeply fishy
@Gregory C Donoghue:
Your next account should be called “Walter Mitty”
lol
@Max Cooper: Or….maybe people have had enough of bolloxology nature sourced facial oatmeal crapology?
@Max Cooper: And we did it to ourselves.It will be some miracle if we get that EU Anti Money Laundering HQ today, but I suspect we won’t, based on our rapacious rates and charges, lack of accommodation compounded by widespread , unchecked anti social behaviour.
SF seem to be oblivious to the enormity of the task they face as a party that has never held power and the usual FFG suspects can only worsen the situation.
It’s a pity we can’t base an economy on Rugby and Rowing. We seem to be useless at everything else
The government are setting up a committee to look into it.
@noel donohue: something Smells here
@noel donohue: They’re not nor is there a need.
Debenhams, Argos, the Body Shop. Who’s next.
@Alex Marquis: Probably Halfords.
@Alex Marquis: Next
@Gerard Carey: Halfords are ok they have a lot of MOT centres in the UK plus service centres, tyre shops, parts stores and bicycles and all the extra stuff that goes with them.
@David McGrath: thats good
@Alex Marquis: Iceland also
Go Woke, Go Broke.
When the majority of your customers are women it probably helps if you can define what one is.
@Ollie McGlinchey: grow up.
Get your bargain price closing down sale new body now.
About 10 years, the Body Shop had a fabulous ginger body lotion/handcream for the Christmas period. It was the best one I ever used and the scent was beautiful. They never continued it . That was the problem. They didn’t move with the times re new scents, and the plastics didn’t disappear and compete with Lush on the environment issues.
What’s going on? First Argos, then M&S announce store closures and now The Body Shop.
Ah, the smell in front of their stores…
Bring back Anita Roddick – oh wait …
Can they not build the bloody thing to Stephen’s Green and talk about Charlemont as it is being progressed
have your say