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.