Two staff asked Tory spin lords for advice

Two members from Leo Varadkar’s newly formed €5m Strategic Communications Unit travelled to London to get tips from Conservative Party spin masters working for Theresa May.

The Taoiseach was recently quizzed in the Dáil about the trip by Sinn Féin deputy leader, Mary Lou McDonald.

Although he was holding a detailed briefing note in his hand about the trip – which would have answered her questions in full – Mr Varadkar sidelined the issue.

It is the second time Fine Gael has sought inspiration and guidance from the Tories. In the lead-up to the last general election, party officials consulted with Tory masterminds before putting their campaign together.

Furious rank-and-file Fine Gael members singled out this link as leading to the party’s disastrous results in the 2016 polls.

Nevertheless, it would seem that Mr Varadkar is as enamoured with the Conservative party as was his predecessor, Enda Kenny.

During Dáil Question Time on September 27, Ms McDonald asked Mr Varadkar to confirm that two members of the new unit had travelled to London. She also asked about the purpose of the visit.

More questions were raised by Labour’s Joan Burton, and Fianna Fáil’s Micheál Martin about the unit – questions Mr Varadkar responded to. Even though Ms McDonald pressed him, and he had the response written out for him, he failed to answer.

According to the confidential briefing note – which was obtained by the Irish Mail on Sunday through a Freedom of Information request: ‘Two members of the Strategic Communications Unit travelled to London to meet with key members of the UK government communications team.

‘These meetings were to learn best practice about a number of topics, including digital communications, from the country ranked number one for eGovernment by the UN. Both members travelled economy.’