The news has just broken that Brian Cowen has resigned as Fianna Fáil
leader, but insists that he intends to fight the General Election as
Taoiseach. FF is split from top to bottom and those among the leadership
who aren’t intending to resign with a fat pension in a few weeks time
are maneouvering for position.
The news has just broken that Brian Cowen has resigned as Fianna Fáil
leader, but insists that he intends to fight the General Election as
Taoiseach. FF is split from top to bottom and those among the leadership
who aren’t intending to resign with a fat pension in a few weeks time
are maneouvering for position. Cowen’s personal postion has become
completely untenable and reports over the last couple of days indicate
that the FF rank and file have "turned their backs on Cowen". Given the
speed of events in this crisis its not ruled out that he may be defeated
if a vote of confidence in the Taosieach is called this week.
Cowen’s big gesture to take on all comers last week has
completely rebounded on him. The situation is a complete shipwreck. The
party will need a new leader, but if Cowen is defeated in a confidence
vote this successor will have the poisoned chalice thrust into his hand.
While no doubt there will be takers for the leader’s job, the
circumstances that they will be taking the job on are calamitous.
Instead of appearing as a new broom the new leader will be thrust
straight into a crisis.It is entirely possible that the government will
fall apart over the next few days. But the FF TD’s will be under huge
pressure to get the Finance Bill passed through the Dáil. Labour must demand an immediate General Election and the defeat of the coalition’s Finance Bill in the Dáil.
