Joan Burton appointment a smart move by Gilmore

Last week, a small but significant bit of news went reported but largely unnoticed.

Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore appointed Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton as Labour's director of elections for the upcoming local and European contests, an intriguing power play.

The move is being seen by some in Labour as Mr Gilmore, the party leader, attempting to neutralise any swing of support towards Ms Burton within the party in the wake of bad results in the May elections.

Ms Burton is Labour’s deputy leader, and has been seen in the past as an alternative leader should Mr Gilmore step aside.

While Labour’s poll ratings have stabilised in recent months, the mid-term polls are still seen as a big test for Mr Gilmore and the party.

There have also been reports of a strained relationship between the pair, and the most serious doubts over Mr Gilmore’s leadership were raised after last year’s Meath East by-election, which saw Labour fall into fifth.

Sources close to Ms Burton said they were expecting the move, but acknowledged it was a “smart” one on the part of Mr Gilmore, since it effectively ties them both to whatever result Labour achieves.

Mr Gilmore offered the position to Ms Burton last week, and she immediately accepted. “It binds them both together, whatever happens,” one source said.

What is likely to happen is that the party will take a bit of a pummelling in both the locals and the Europeans, and could possibly end up with no MEPs at all.

Having Ms Burton in charge of both elections means she, as well as Mr Gilmore, will have to shoulder the blame for any poor performance and decreases the risk of party members and TDs running towards her afterwards and asking her to save the party.

We may be over-conspiratorial, but remember who ran Fine Gael's doomed and much maligned campaign to abolish the Seanad? One Richard Bruton, he who launched a heave against Enda Kenny.

First Bruton, now Burton.

Who’d be an ambitious deputy leader, or in Bruton’s case, ex-deputy leader, eh?