Finlay quits Labour to become Barnardos chief

FERGUS FINLAY, possibly the most influential backroom strategist in the history of the Labour Party, yesterday announced his departure from politics.

Mr Finlay, who has been Labour leader Pat Rabbitte’s chef de cabinet since 2002, has been appointed chief executive designate of children’s charity Barnardos.

He said the decision to accept the job had been one of the most difficult of his life. “There were only one or two jobs that would have tempted me away from the Labour Party. Nobody is going to make me Minister for Education,” he said.

“It involved a lot of agonising. The next two years will be a very exciting period in politics. I would love to be around for the general election.”

Mr Finlay says he was swayed because Barnardos campaigns on issues which he has been strongly identified with over the years. He is the parent of a child with Down syndrome.

Mr Finlay’s longest and closest association was with former leader Dick Spring, for whom he was special adviser for 17 years. He was one of the key strategists behind Mary Robinson’s successful presidential campaign in 1990 and in Labour’s resurgence in the 1992 General Election.

He left his full-time position after Mr Spring resigned, working as a PR consultant. Mr Rabbitte created the chef de cabinet post for him. At the time, Mr Rabbitte said he sought Mr Finlay because he was the best in the business.

Party colleagues yesterday paid warm tributes to Mr Finlay and dismissed suggestions it indicated disaffection within the party.

“Given his interest in and commitment to the area, I fully appreciate that chief executive (of Barnardos) is an offer he could not refuse,” said Mr Rabbitte.

Mr Howlin described him as a brilliant strategist while Kathleen Lynch said that he be a huge loss to the party. Mr Finlay, who is also a columnist with the Irish Examiner, yesterday said he would miss politics.