Fine Gael's front bench has given Enda Kenny its full backing to continue as leader despite internal party disquiet over the departure of George Lee.
Yesterday’s unexpected announcement by the Dublin South TD that he was stepping down from the party and the Dáil after only eight months threw the party into turmoil and raised question marks about Mr Kenny’s leadership.
Some Fine Gael TDs conceded privately last night that his future depended on the continued support of deputy leader Richard Bruton. “If Bruton challenged him, it would be all over for Kenny,” said one senior figure, and his views were echoed by some members of the front bench.
However, in his first public interview since Mr Lee's resignation, Mr Kenny told RTÉ's News At One he had received "unanimous support" at this morning's meeting of senior party figures in Leinster House.
“This is politics but for the good of the Fine Gael party and the policies that we pursue and the changes that we want to implement I‘m out there in front and will bring the entire parliamentary party with me.”
Mr Kenny admitted he was saddened by the former RTÉ journalist's departure, whom he said had lost a "brilliant opportunity".
Mr Kenny maintained the newly-elected TD had been given an important role in driving the party's economic policies. “I created for George Lee a specific economic committee that had the remit of the driving Fine Gael economic policy as we prepare for the next election,” he said.
He said the first he had heard of Mr Lee’s “disillusionment” was when he met him last Tuesday. At the meeting, Mr Kenny said he reminded Mr Lee of “the difficulties of adjusting to the raw grind of politics on the street”, and how dealing with it, rather than commenting on it, was a “difficult thing”.
Commenting on Mr Lee’s suggestion that he had had no relationship with Mr Bruton, Mr Kenny said he had held “high hopes” for Mr Lee, and “whether people have personal differences in any party is immaterial”.
Mr Kenny also said he urged Mr Lee to take more time over his decision before resigning. “I said to him to take a front bench position and if you still feel the same after three months then I won’t ask any more questions.”
He said he had offered him a front bench position in the party not on the “basis of duress”, as Mr Lee has claimed, but to help him further his political career. Mr Kenny said he made it quite clear to Mr Lee that he would be a “serious contender” for a cabinet post should Fine Gael assume office at the next election.
Speaking ahead of today’s meeting, Mr Bruton insisted the resignation had no bearing on the party's leadership. While he accepted he had leadership ambitions of his own, "no-one can question my loyalty". He would not be drawn on the possibility of mounting a challenge to Mr Kenny.
He said he was disappointed at Mr Lee’s “regrettable” decision. “The first thing George should have done is express his discontent, it is quite surprising that he didn't," Mr Bruton said. "The party can and will learn from this as we have from other reversals that have happened."
“Clearly we have a problem and Enda has a challenge to manage that problem and I’m absolutely convinced he’s up to it,” Mr Bruton said. “Clearly it’s a set back. It’s not the sort of day we want to be having.”
Mr Lee referred to the leadership issue on his departure yesterday, claiming there were "certainly lots of large mutterings at the moment in relation to the leader’s position".
Speaking on Newstalk radio this afternoon, Mr Bruton said politics could be a lonely profession and being in opposition was often a tough grind. “But it is important, because it gives you an alternative platform people that can believe in,” he said.
Mr Lee said yesterday he had “minimal involvement” with Mr Bruton during his time in the Dáil. "I had a maximum of two or three conversations with Richard Bruton in a total nine months period," he said.
Mr Bruton said he was always amenable to ideas. “He never ever picked up the phone to me … he didn’t circulate any policy papers,” he said.
“In politics, it’s not just about arriving, you do have to fight your corner,” he said. “There are a lot of ambitious people in politics.”
Mr Bruton said Mr Lee was made chairman of an economics committee but never convened it. This was a "golden" chance wasted, he claimed.
Mr Bruton suggested there was an element of Mr Lee being naïve about the nature of political life. “Being elected on such a groundswell of support, maybe you feel that politics is going to suddenly change because you’ve arrived,” he said.