Gilmore: ‘Best chance for renewal is with a new leader’

Ultimately, the reason Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore gave for his resignation as Labour leader after three years in Government was simple: "The party has to renew itself," he said, "and it has a better chance to do that with a new leader."

Speaking while flanked by frontbench friends — and perhaps one or two enemies — at the Department of Foreign Affairs, the no-longer happy Mr Gilmore confirmed the rumours that had been spreading during the day.

After Labour’s disastrous local election results and the loss of all of its MEP seats over the weekend, the Tánaiste accepted his time in charge was up.