Jan O’Sullivan denies telling Alan Kelly she would back leadership bid

Former education minister Jan O’Sullivan has said she never told Alan Kelly she would back his bid for the Labour leadership.

Mr Kelly, the former environment minister, claimed she only pulled back when Brendan Howlin threatened to withdraw from the race.

Ms O’Sullivan denied any suggestion she was set to support her colleague until the ultimatum was made, as the fallout from the replacement of Joan Burton continued to engulf the party yesterday.

Speaking on Tipp FM in his first substantial public comments since his failed attempt to become leader on Friday, Mr Kelly said Ms O’Sullivan wanted to “facilitate a contest” to ensure grassroots supporters had their say.

Mr Kelly failed to force a leadership race as he did not gain any backing from Labour’s six other TDs. He said Ms O’Sullivan told him “on numerous occasions” she wanted a contest, but that Mr Howlin’s desire for a consensus candidate meant she ultimately pulled back from offering support.

Mr Kelly said: “It’s very clear that one particular TD wanted to facilitate a contest. Jan told me on numerous occasions that she favoured a contest. I mean, she might have supported Brendan but she favoured a contest.

“With myself and Brendan putting our names forward, it really fell to three TDs [Ms O’Sullivan, Brendan Ryan, and Seán Sherlock, as outgoing leader Joan Burton and chairman Willie Penrose were not publicly backing any candidate] to make a decision for 4,000 people. They didn’t want to be disenfranchised.”

A senior party source said Mr Kelly was adamant he only lost support after Mr Howlin told a private parliamentary party meeting last week that he would not run if a second candidate emerged.

However, Ms O’Sullivan last night told the Irish Examiner: “I never told Alan Kelly I would second him. I supported the person I believed was best for the job.”

Speaking on Newstalk yesterday, Mr Howlin also denied claims he gave TDs an ultimatum, saying while a consensus candidate was discussed among TDs, he never said he would withdraw his candidacy if he did not get his way.

Asked if he told Ms O’Sullivan specifically that “if one of you guys nominates or seconds Alan Kelly I’m out of here”, Mr Howlin said: “I didn’t hear Jan say that and that would not be the character of our discussion. I did put forward the notion that we should have a consensus and I wanted that consensus to be unanimous.”

Both Mr Kelly and Mr Howlin said yesterday they want the drama of recent days to end, with Mr Kelly saying “that was last Friday, I’m moving on, I think Brendan will be a very good leader”.

However, Mr Kelly admitted he was “upset” at the outcome and criticised the party’s internal rules for preventing the voices of 4,000 grassroots members from being heard.

He said he did not turn up for Mr Howlin’s announcement as leader last week because it would have taken focus away from the Wexford TD.

The fallout from the Labour leadership race is expected to be raised in an internal meeting between Mr Howlin and Mr Kelly this week, where they are set to discuss the latter’s future role in the party.

Mr Howlin stressed yesterday that their relationship is strong and “not pugilistic”.