Fine Gael leadership battle on knife-edge

THE battle for the leadership of Fine Gael is on such a knife-edge that the party chairman is seeking legal advice on whether he can use a casting vote in today’s motion of confidence in Enda Kenny.

With both sides of the leadership struggle neck and neck, the chairman of the parliamentary party, Galway West TD Pádraic McCormack, last night consulted the party’s legal advisors to clarify what happens if there is a 35-35 split.

He said he believed such a result would mean Mr Kenny had lost the motion, which requires a simple majority, but he has sought to legally verify this interpretation ahead of today’s crunch meeting.