In 2020, then-Taoiseach Leo Varadkar walked to the microphones and said “Well. Will any of us ever forget St Patrick’s Day 2020?” After today’s announcement that he’s quitting, Leo might have wondered if anyone would ever forget his ducking out of the spotlight just after Paddy’s Day 2024. Forty-six years old and he’s retiring from the top job?!
When Jacinta Ardern resigned as New Zealand prime minister, it came as a big shock – totally unforeseen. When Nichola Sturgeon resigned as Scottish First Minister it was equally a blow to the public brain. I think people still haven’t worked out the why of Jacinta and Nichola going. So what about Leo and the implications for the south (and north) of Ireland?
He said he threw in the towel “for political and personal reasons”. He didn’t tell us what the personal reasons were and we may never know. The political? Well, he reeled off a long line of triumphs by his government and they were impressive. They were also strikingly selective. Housing, Leo? Health, Leo? The record in both was hardly stellar.
So now the king is dead, what about the new king – or queen? Several names have been mentioned and I predict a very rocky road for all.
Helen McEntee, the Justice minister was spoken widely about. Unfortunately for Helen, she made a spectacular banjax of the Dublin riots and compared to Leo, she exudes…languor? Detachment? Straight-faced to a fault? And remember, whoever becomes Taoiseach will be immediately measured against Mary Lou McDonald. If you do that with Helen, Mary Lou looks an awful lot more energetic and strong.
Another name came up: Simon Harris, Minister of Further and Higher Education. (No, sorry, Virginia – apparently the Simon Coveney boat has sailed. And sank.) Harris – like McEntee – has youth on his side. But as he stood behind Leo listening to his resignation speech, Harris looked …There’s only one word for it. Grey. I have a sneaking suspicion that relates to a physical condition he’s got, but being physically grey invites the further comment – politically grey. He is smart, but would he be a more approachable figure than Leo? Or Mary Lou? Methinks not.
So let’s end with a few Q and As
Q: Will Leo’s resignation strengthen Fine Gael?
A: No.
Q: Will Leo’s resignation strengthen Micheál Martin?
A: No. There’s been much talk of Martin quitting, perhaps to go to Europe. Leo’s resignation won’t have encouraged him to go any further than the next election. Of course, if Fianna Fail won by a landside, then…OK, OK, let’s stay in sane world.
Q: Will Leo’s resignation strengthen Mary Lou McDonald?
A: Very probably Yes. Except there’s a political flower lurking unseen in the FF/FG background, Mary Lou is going to look even more like the real Taoiseach. Which might have explained why she hadn’t at the time of writing come to the microphones to give her reaction. My guess is she needed time to compose herself, after lepping around the SF offices, punching the air and yelling …Well. What do you think she’d be yelling?
Very good jude free Palestine
You mention the possibility of Micheal Martin getting a top EU job – what’s the chance of Leo resigning today so he can jump into that EU job before Micheal gets the chance to say yes or no?
Leo made sure he got one last big day in America before announcing his retirement, can’t say I blame him. He became a hate figure for loyalists who painted him as a united Irelander which is preposterous. Then again, they also accused the likes of Fitt and Hume of being rebels to the core!