Flanagan backs Noonan in FG leadership race

Fine Gael chief whip, Mr Charlie Flanagan, announced today he would not enter the party's leadership race.

In a statement aimed at ending speculation that he was to be the fifth candidate, Mr Flanagan said he would back Mr Michael Noonan to be the next leader with Mr Jim Mitchell as his deputy.

Mr Flanagan said: "I believe Michael Noonan would be the best man to lead the party into the next general election."

Yesterday the party's spokesman on Tourism, Sport and Recreation, Mr Bernard Allen, announced he would join Mr Mitchell, Mr Noonan and Mr Enda Kenny in the race to be the party's next leader.

With four candidates already declared and the possibility of more emerging over the weekend, it was revealed in today's Irish Timesthat the plans to oust Mr John Bruton had been in the making before the damaging opinion poll was published.

Mr Jim Mitchell and Mr Michael Noonan are known to have discussed the prospects for another heave against Mr Bruton a week before the move was finally sparked by an Irish Times/MRBI opinion poll.