Higgins receives Labour support for election

LABOUR party president Michael D Higgins yesterday received the resounding support of his colleagues as he was chosen as the party’s candidate for the Presidential election.

The 70-year-old pledged to lead an energetic campaign after comfortably beating rivals Fergus Finlay and Kathleen O’Meara at a selection convention in Dublin.

The former minister and Galway TD polled 37 votes compared to 18 for Mr Finlay and seven for Ms O’Meara.