Labour and Fine Gael clash over figure of €6bn in cuts

A MAJOR clash over how to deal with the financial crisis erupted between Labour and Fine Gael as they demanded a snap general election.

Despite being the most obvious alternate government the two parties took starkly different attitudes on how to deal with the IMF as the prospect of taking power appeared to be close at hand.

Labour leader Eamon Gilmore warned that he would not let the IMF “roll over” a new administration as he stressed a pre-Christmas national poll would put the incoming government in a strong position with the country’s new international paymasters.