Leo Varadkar says Independents made an error backing abortion bill

Social Protection Minister Leo Varadkar has accused Independent cabinet colleagues of destabilising the Government by wrongly believing they would be seen as “heroes” for backing Mick Wallace’s abortion bill.

Mr Varadkar, a potential successor to Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny, made the claim as pressure continues to mount on the Coalition to bring its internal crisis under control.

Speaking just hours after Fine Gael MEP Brian Hayes said “some of the Independents don’t get” what it means to be in power, Mr Varadkar told RTE’s The Week in Politics the abortion bill vote had risked causing a second general election.