LEO GOADS ENDA ON GOING
Varadkar hits out over ‘Judas’ claims as race to succeed the embattled Taoiseach turns nasty
A FURIOUS Leo Varadkar has come out fighting against accusations he was directing a secret ‘Judas’ campaign against the Taoiseach.
The Fine Gael race to succeed leader Enda Kenny got nasty last night as a ‘sink Leo Varadkar’ campaign appeared to goad the Social Protection Minister into showing his hand.
Confirming that the minister was angry, a Varadkar camp insider told the Irish Mail on Sunday last night: ‘If anybody in Cabinet wants to attack Leo they should do it openly and honestly not secretly and anonymously.’
Earlier in the day a Mexican standoff between Housing Minister Simon Coveney and Mr Varadkar broke into open warfare as Mr Varadkar issued a statement urging Mr Kenny to make up his mind about his departure.
Since the Taoiseach made a series of seriously contradictory statements about what he knew about the Garda whistleblower crisis, and when he knew it, the challengers have come out to see who will inherit his position as leader of Fine Gael and Taoiseach.
A number of backbenchers have called on Mr Kenny to name a date for his departure in light of his stated intention not to stand for election again. Despite some attempts to calm the waters on Friday – including from leadership hopeful Mr Coveney – Mr Varadkar yesterday said that the Taoiseach should state his intentions and comply with the urging of his supporters to name a date for his departure.
‘Everyone is waiting to hear from the Taoiseach,’ said Mr Varadkar. ‘The current situation is distracting and destabilising for the Government, the party and the country. I have full confidence in the Taoiseach to settle it.’
This statement was issued to the MoS and was also carried on RTÉ’s Six-One News.
Mr Kenny did not respond and there was no sign of a counter offensive from Mr Coveney’s camp yesterday.
The Taoiseach was observed on Friday night with colleagues in Toner’s pub on Baggot Street, as campaign teams for his two ministers were being set up.
As a further damaging opinion poll emerged last night, a close friend of Mr Kenny said: ‘The Taoiseach believes these boys don’t have the balls to openly challenge him. But he is not canvassing and not seeking support to stay in a position he already occupies.
‘He will continue on in his position for now.’
Nevertheless other sources close to the Taoiseach said there would be ‘no fight back’ and he has accepted that he must issue a statement about his intentions.
‘He’s in shock, he’s a little traumatised, I don’t think he’s taking it all in,’ said a Cabinet minister who spoke to Mr Kenny this weekend.
The Taoiseach told the minister that ‘he will leave the party and the country in good shape – just give me a bit of headspace.’
The frontrunner in the succession stakes, Mr Varadkar, may have been acting in response to an emerging ‘Stop Varadkar’ campaign by those who have tired of his perceived undermining of the Taoiseach over the years. But his opponents last night described his latest statement as an error.
The MoS also understands that Health Minister Simon Harris is considering entering the race when Mr Kenny announces he is stepping down. Friends of Mr Harris do not believe he can win but they believe he can be a ‘kingmaker’.
He is thought to be one of those loyal to Mr Kenny. Hence he believes that Mr Varadkar is promoting a campaign to undermine the Taoiseach. Mr Harris is expected to throw his weight behind Mr Coveney if eliminated.
‘There is a Stop Leo campaign on, I hate even putting it like that, I think it elevates Leo to another level. There is a campaign on to stop him,’ said a Cabinet minister last night.
‘I think Simon Coveney is more likely to win the support and respect of Enda Kenny supporters because of the dignified way he has conducted himself,’ he added.
The campaign strategies had been outlined by the respective teams prior to Mr Varadkar’s statement. Mr Varadkar at first did not want to be seen as pushing Mr Kenny out the door. However, a number of backbenchers emerged during the week to say they thought he should speed up his departure.
Dublin Fingal TD Alan Farrell, Dublin North West TD Noel Rock, Carlow Kilkenny TD Pat Deering and Louth TD Fergus O’Dowd said that he should name a date.
They were labelled as Varadkar supporters by the Coveney camp, seeking to characterise Mr Varadkar as a political assassin.
Mr Coveney’s team believe that if Mr Varadkar is seen to be pressurising Mr Kenny to leave earlier than many TDs would move into the Housing Minister’s camp.
Mr Varadkar did just that last night, and it was characterised by Coveney supporters as a rash response to briefings against him.
‘He’s in shock, he’s a little traumatised’
‘Leo blinked, he flinched,’ said one Coveney supporting TD.
‘That is just what we wanted him to do. It is playing up to a stereotype that was already emerging in the parliamentary party of Leo as a careerist prone to outbursts.
‘From Leo’s point of view, I don’t see the sense it makes. He is so close to the prize he has spent so many years machinating for the top job and now he fears it will be snapped from his grasp.’
Another minister supporting Mr Coveney added: ‘Leo is panicking. They need to calm down. If they push a confidence vote too soon, Kenny will win. There is a lot of sympathy for him.’
However a close supporter of Mr Varadkar said: ‘We are aware of a Stop Leo campaign.’
‘What is the biggest irony here? You have a Taoiseach who is refusing to acknowledge reality and you have TDs who are going out off their own bat, trying to point out the reality to Kenny.
‘Or you have either the Simon Coveney supporters or Enda Kenny supporters trying to besmirch Leo’s name with off-the-record briefings.’
Government Chief Whip Regina Doherty said yesterday that the Taoiseach should be given time and space to decide what he is going to do with his future – and that doing otherwise was tantamount to ‘blackmail’.
Ms Doherty, speaking on RTÉ Radio One’s Saturday With Clare Byrne show, said of Mr Kenny: ‘You know, if you dislike what he says next week, well then, people can express views at that stage, but don’t start this second guessing business, or this, even, blackmailing business, because it’s unedifying, because actually we’re better than that.’
Some TDs are less convinced that Mr Kenny will go soon and is willing to hang on.
‘Enda Kenny will burn the Fine Gael house down before surrendering power ahead of his preferred schedule,’ said Wexford TD Michael D’Arcy last night, a long-time critic of the Taoiseach.
‘Kenny will burn the Fine Gael house down’