FG chief must 'come out of his corner fighting', says Bruton

PARTY SUPPORT:ENDA KENNY has to come out "fighting" following the resignation of George Lee from the party, a senior party frontbencher has said.

Deputy leader Richard Bruton denied the situation had been handled badly by the party leader. “I think he acted very honourably,” he said in a radio interview yesterday. “But he has to come out of his corner fighting. I think that is the test in politics; it’s your next game, not your last one that matters.”

He believed Mr Kenny would still be leader by the next election.

“I have always supported Enda Kennys leadership, I have supported every leader in this party. I am absolutely committed. No one can question my loyalty to any leader that I have supported,” Mr Bruton told RTÉ Radio.

When asked if now was the time for a leadership change, he replied “that’s a ridiculous question”.

He said it was “a setback for us and a setback for Enda in particular”. But Fine Gael members would be “the most angry and frustrated at what happened”. The party would have to work hard to get back on the pitch and define an agenda, he continued.

Mr Bruton compared Mr Lee’s resignation on Monday to Roy Keane’s departure in Saipan.

“Some people will say Fine Gael was the villain of the piece and that this was a person who had to be managed . . . some people will say it was petulance,” he said.

The stepping down of the Dublin South TD on Monday raised question marks about Mr Kenny’s leadership.However, Mr Bruton said the resignation of Mr Lee had “nothing to do with the leadership”.

He denied that the backbencher had been excluded from senior levels of the party. Asked if Mr Lee had been effectively shut out of the party’s upper echelons he said that was “not at all true”.

Mr Bruton said he spoke to Mr Lee regularly during his time at Leinster House and his resignation came as a “bombshell”.

Mr Lee had not contacted him to offer ideas, had not circulated policy papers, nor convened the economic committee of which he was chairman, Mr Bruton said.

“You do have to apply yourself,” he said.

“In politics, it is not just about arriving; you do have to fight your corner for your ideas,” he added.

Mr Bruton said he had “often” spoken to and met Mr Lee at parliamentary party meetings but not often on a one-to-one basis.

On Monday Mr Lee said he had “minimal involvement” with Mr Bruton.

The pair sat down together to prepare the party’s budget response. However, Mr Bruton indicated that not all of the backbencher’s budget suggestions may have been used.

Mr Lee may have been frustrated by a differing view the pair took on delaying reaction to the economic crisis when Mr Bruton’s view prevailed, he said. The party finance spokesman was disappointed at Mr Lee’s resignation. “The idea that he was deeply discontented has come as a surprise to everyone.”