Burton launches leadership campaign

Joan Burton’s bid for the Labour leadership edged closer last night after her party colleague Brendan Howlin ruled himself out of running for the position.

The public expenditure minister’s decision to stay outside the race now considerably lessons the likelihood of a bitter divide in the party over who will lead it after the resignation of Eamon Gilmore.

Only junior ministers Alex White and Alan Kelly have yet to say if they will or will not contest the leadership.

Ms Burton yesterday pledged to keep Labour in Government until 2016, but to focus on a social recovery alongside an economic one.

Launching her leadership bid outside Leinster House, she was flanked by three TDs, two senators and several urban and rural party councillors.

Ms Burton said it was important that there was an urban-rural and gender balance in any changes to the party. She said there would be “no deals”.

Following the party’s losses at the local and European elections, she said people wanted to know when their finances would grow again.

The “limits of austerity” had been reached, she said.

Addressing concerns about whether she got on well with her Fine Gael Cabinet colleagues, she said:

“I think by now they know I’m a straight talker and I tell it as I see it from a Labour Party perspective.”

Ms Burton ruled out leaving Government, if she heads Labour. She pointed to her experience saying she had helped negotiate the programme for government and three budgets for the Department of Social Protection.

She also said she had a good working relationship with Taoiseach Enda Kenny.

Her leadership bid was proposed by TD Ann Phelan TD and seconded by TD Eamonn Moloney.

Earlier, Meath East TD Dominic Hannigan called for the entire Labour front bench to go.

“What we don’t need is experience of 25 years in a bunker in Leinster House.”

But Ms Burton, 65, dismissed concern about her age and said Hillary Clinton was considering running for president in the United States.

There was growing opinion last night among backbenchers that Alan Kelly, the Tipperary junior minister who has declared an interest in the leadership, would make a fitting deputy leader alongside Joan Burton.

One TD said: “It’s a dream team. Rural-urban, male-female and the new and old generation.”

Up to 5,000 people are entitled to decide the leadership positions under Labour’s one vote-one member system.

Nominations for leader and deputy leader close next Tuesday and a vote is planned for July 4.

Transport Minister and Fine Gael TD Leo Varadkar yesterday said the coalition was stable and work will continue once Labour elects a new leader.