The spectacular fall from grace of Ireland’s Fianna Fail should serve as a warning to the UK and other governments across Europe who are treating the financial crisis with ill-tasting austerity measures

The ejection of one of Europe’s most successful political parties from power is a vivid illustration that voting publics can and will react badly to extreme austerity measures. Danielle Moran finds that while the UK’s economic situation may not be quite so severe as Ireland’s, if the coalition government plans to continue with its current programme of harsh austerity measures, it should take heed of the fate of Fianna Fail and be wary of a resurgent Labour party.