Why should Simon give up? Coveney supporters say he’s in good spirits

Supporters of Fine Gael leadership candidate Simon Coveney have said the contest to succeed Enda Kenny is "not over" despite Leo Varadkar's huge lead.

Maria Bailey, a Dun Laoghaire TD, said the four hustings between Mr Coveney and Mr Varadkar for rank and file Fine Gael members have not yet taken place.

“This is not over,” Ms Bailey said. “The candidates have not held even one debate yet. Why should Simon give up a third of the way through? I would advise him to stay strong and stay in the race.

“I know that I have backed the right person,” she added.

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She also said it would be disrespectful not to let the membership have an opportunity to listen to the debates and cast their votes.

She said she spoke to Mr Coveney on Saturday and he remained in good form and in high spirits.

- Fine Gael leadership tracker: Track the contest and check who your local TD, Senator, MEP and councillor is supporting.

Similarly, the Cork East Deputy and Minister of State David Stanton also said the campaign would keep going. While accepting that numbers were stacking up for Mr Varadkar, he said Mr Coveney had yet to put his case for leadership to the wider party membership.

“I am looking forward to see a policy debate. It will be good for everybody to see. People will go to the hustings and meet both of them and get a chance to make up their minds,” said Mr Stanton.

Mr Coveney’s campaign team dismissed completely any suggestion that he will withdraw from the race Mr Varadkar’s seemingly unassailable lead.

Mr Coveney’s spokeswoman said there was no foundation at all to rumours that Mr Coveney will announce he will remove himself from the race at a rally in Cork later on Saturday evening.

The suggestions arose after the Minister for Housing cancelled an event that was due to take place in Cork City in afternoon.

However, several parliamentary supporters of the Cork South Central Deputy have accepted in private that he is going to lose and have also expressed the view that it would be better for him to bow out now.

“I do believe it should end now. I think he has a duty to end it now,” said one TD who is backing him. “I know that he believes that councillors and members should have their say even if the outcome is inevitable.

“But it is academic and the debates will have not meaning as it is already a foregone conclusion. I believe it is his duty to withdraw.”

However, other parliamentary supporters of Mr Coveney insisted his campaign should continue and would not accept the outcome was already settled.