Party rallies around Kenny in wake of shock departure

MEMBERS of Fine Gael have rallied around their leader Enda Kenny as the party comes to terms with the shock departure of their star recruit.

George Lee’s resignation from politics came as a surprise to the entire party despite the frequency of commentary about whether the backbenches were enough for the high-profile deputy.

Frank Flannery, one of the party’s most senior strategists, said he could not understand how Mr Lee could make his decision after just 19 weeks of active Dáil time. He said the move was totally “out of the blue”.