Varadkar labelled the Irish ‘Maggie Thatcher’

A WAR of words continued between Labour and Fine Gael over their economic policies with Leo Varadkar being accused of sounding like the “Maggie Thatcher of Irish politics.”

As the parties traded blows over their financial plans, Labour leader Eamon Gilmore denied his attacks were a sign of desperation as latest opinion poll findings showed Fine Gael stretching its lead on its main electoral competitor.

Mr Gilmore claimed Fine Gael was becoming the “stealth tax” party of the election, adding that their austerity policies would hit families badly.

“Fine Gael is proposing similar cuts that the Conservative Party introduced in Britain, which led them into a recession.”

His attack was echoed by the party’s social affairs spokeswoman, Roisin Shortall, who, speaking in Dublin, said Fine Gael front bench TD Leo Varadkar was starting to sound like “the Maggie Thatcher of Irish politics.”

“What he wants to do is take money out of the pockets of families in this country that are struggling to survive.

“He likes to talk tough, talk in terms of people being figures, talks about cutting 30,000 from the public sector as if those 30,000 people are figures,” Ms Shortall said.

Fine Gael has been attacked continuously this week, with claims that there is a €5 billion “black hole” in the party’s economic plan. Labour has also placed newspaper adverts arguing Fine Gael’s policies would lump families with extra charges for child care, car tax and VAT among areas.

One advert claims that under Fine Gael plans, a family with two children face €252 in cuts to child benefit.

Enda Kenny yesterday did admit the party would cut child welfare but said the figures advertised were “complete rubbish.”

Mr Kenny added: “What we will do is have a universal payment which will apply to everybody. In other words, whether they are rich or not, they are going to get some element of child benefit but then you make a cut for those who are on higher incomes.”

But Fine Gael stepped up its own offensive against Labour, claiming their party plans would cost each family in the country an extra €1,361 a year in taxes and charges, compared to its own tax plans.

This would be from additional interest charges on extra borrowing incurred from Labour’s plan to extend the timeframe of the EU-IMF bailout deal.

Finance spokesman Michael Noonan also said Labour was a “high-tax party” and its election campaign was failing on the ground.

“What you’re seeing is a response by the Labour party to the failure of their own election campaign and their own policies.”