Sherlock plunges Labour campaign into crisis

Labour’s Euro election campaign has been plunged into crisis for the second time in five days, after a government minister said the party’s Ireland South candidate could not be taken seriously.

Junior Minister Sean Sherlock’s withering assessment of Phil Prendergast also raised questions about Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore’s decision to publicly back the rebel MEP.

Ms Prendergast threw Labour’s election push into turmoil earlier this week when she called for Mr Gilmore to be ousted as leader and replaced by Social Protection Minister Joan Burton before voters go to the polls on May 23.