Leo’s losing streak spurred his self less act

IT may be possible to be both selfish and selfless simultaneously. It’s a hard act to pull off but Leo Varadkar may have managed it on Wednesday morning in announcing his departure as Taoiseach.

By quitting he selflessly sacrificed himself for the good of Fine Gael. Many a political leader has had to be dragged kicking and screaming from power, deposed either by the electorate to their surprise (no matter how obvious it was that it was coming) or by party colleagues who have either had enough or sense opportunity for personal advancement. Mr Varadkar said he couldn’t find someone to stab him in the back so instead he fell on his sword.

In doing so he has given Fine Gael a better chance of surviving the wreckage of forthcoming elections. With him in charge the results were almost certain to have been terrible; the rumour is that private polling was shown to him that disclosed that the dreadful publicly available polls were more generous than the reality.

The referendum results of a fortnight ago must have disabused him of any notions that he could save the party from ignominy.

Had he stayed he would have been forever associated with that electoral failure. So, yes, he was also selfish by taking the opportunity to duck what was coming to him.

There are special advisers who will automatically lose their jobs unless Simon Harris keeps them on. It will be much easier for Varadkar, in his own time, to find something that will suit him and allow him to enjoy himself as much as he did as a politician.

It was striking that he recommended it as a profession on the basis of the people he met and the places he went; most people say they go into politics because of the service they want to do for others.