The Fine Gael leader has described a new challenge to his leadership as a serious misjudgement and a major opportunity for his party's opponents. John Bruton was speaking just hours after frontbenchers Michael Noonan and Jim Mitchell had announced they are to table a motion of no confidence in him. The Fine Gael parliamentary party will consider the motion on Wednesday.
In a joint statement, Mr Mitchell and Mr Noonan said that following extensive consultations with the parliamentary party they believed the time had come for a new beginning. Speaking at a news conference in Dublin this afternoon, they said that if the motion was successful they would both contest the subsequent election for party leader. They said that Fine Gael's failure to connect with large sections of the electorate rested with Mr Bruton's leadership style.
In a statement tonight, John Bruton said that the timing of the move is a serious misjudgement on the part of Mr Noonan and Mr Mitchell. "It creates major opportunities for Fine Gael's opponents by diverting the party's energies away from criticism of the Government's flawed budgetary policy and weak reaction to ethical issues," said Mr Bruton. He added that one opinion poll is not a sound basis for hastily re-opening a decision made democratically and deliberately "only a few short weeks ago".
Earlier today, Mr Bruton said that he would fight any challenge to his leadership. Speaking in Santry this afternoon, he said that he felt very confident that he would lead his party into the next General Election. He pointed out that he was the man who won nine extra seats for his party. He said that he has been Taoiseach before and had done the job well, and added that there was nobody else in the Fine Gael parliamentary party who had been Taoiseach before.
Referring to the failed challenge two months ago by backbencher, Austin Deasy, Mr Bruton said that anybody who re-opened an issue which had been settled democratically after an open vote a few weeks ago placed themselves in a difficult position. However, this time around indications are that Mr Bruton will have a much more difficult fight on his hands than with the Deasy challenge.
Since the Irish Times poll on Thursday which showed a further fall in Fine Gael support, the mood in the party has been sombre. The fact that the coming leadership challenge will have the backing of two powerful and popular frontbenchers who are each likely to be seeking his job, means John Bruton will have to be at his most persuasive if he is to survive a vote in his parliamentary party.
