30% vote may not be enough to win Cabinet seat

Alex White may not be in the running for a senior ministerial position after picking up less than 30% of the vote in the Labour leadership contest.

The junior health minister, who has overseen the medical card debacle, had been playing catch-up throughout the campaign to Joan Burton.

When it became clear that the leadership was out of reach for the 55-year-old Dublin South TD, he aimed to get a strong enough vote to secure a Cabinet place.