New PD leader - Turbulent times ahead for McDowell

HUMBLE is not a word one normally associates with Michael McDowell but that was how the Minister for Justice described himself yesterday on assuming leadership of the Progressive Democrats.

Exuding a palpable aura of relief on being confirmed unopposed as the third leader of the PDs in almost 21 years, he will also take on the role of Tánaiste. Hence his unbridled gratitude to fellow TDs Liz O’Donnell and Tom Parlon for not challenging him following Mary Harney’s shock resignation last week.

Boasting only eight TDs and five senators, a divisive leadership battle would have inflicted irreparable damage on the junior coalition partner. That explains the united front at yesterday’s press conference, a carefully stage-managed affair aimed at portraying consensus within the struggling party belying its recent image of tension and internal rivalry.

Symbolising this rediscovered sense of cordiality, Mr McDowell was nominated for the leadership by Mr Parlon and seconded by Ms O’Donnell.

Altruism is rare in politics and in return for what he called their “selfless” magnanimity, aimed at averting “disunity and distraction”, the new leader conferred the presidency and deputy leadership of the party respectively on Mr Parlon and Ms O’Donnell.

Having paid tribute to ex-PD leader Mary Harney, whose sudden resignation last week precipitated the leadership crisis, he illustrated the ground-breaking scale of the transition by recalling yesterday’s telephone call from Taoiseach Bertie Ahern who is at the EU Summit in Helsinki.

In the course of their conversation, Mr McDowell gave Mr Ahern a commitment that the PDs would continue working to fulfil the Coalition’s Programme for Government. If anything, that pledge is calculated to calm the taut nerves of Fianna Fáil backbenchers.

Fearful that the McDowell traits of arrogance and aggression, not to mention his typical inclination to shoot-from-the-hip, could yet destabilise the coalition, they anticipate that his abrasive style could turn off voters in the run-up to next summer’s General Election.

Reminding his critics that during its 20 years existence, the party had served 12 years in Government, prospering in that role, he insists the PDs will be a strong partner in Government and a credible party in the eyes of the electorate.

Moreover, he reiterated they would continue in Government until the election.

Setting out his stall, he postulated the mantra that if you’re not radical, you’re redundant. Thus, in the long term, he intends to focus on small numbers of eye catching policies which, he says, will be communicated in a dramatic way.

In case anybody was in doubt, he gave a clear signal that he will be a belligerent participant in the Dáil over the next nine months.

In a foretaste of things to come, he took a side-swipe at the opposition, describing Fine Gael and Labour as “handcuffed together”. And putting a substantial wedge between himself and the Greens, he claimed their policies could not be implemented unless there was sustainable growth.

When the Dáil resumes on Thursday, all eyes will be on Mr McDowell as he takes leader’s questions for the first time. No doubt, the opposition will goad him, seeking to light his famously short fuse by getting under his notoriously thin political skin.

There is no gainsaying Mr McDowell’s ability to work closely with Mr Ahern. But he is sure to have a turbulent time of it from the opposition benches as the PDs try to recover lost ground.

He takes over as leader in perilous times for the PDs who, according to their own polls, are in danger of losing six of their eight Dáil seats.