Leaders under fire - It’s time for FG to hold its nerve

AS a cadre of Leinster House foot soldiers is unnerved by withering opinion polls and an election looming on an not-so-distant horizon, Brian Cowen and Enda Kenny’s leaderships are under fire.

One man – Brian Cowen – has to defend failure. He also has to defend unprecedented and dismal ratings for his party. Mr Cowen’s record is not impressive but the next leader of Fianna Fáil will hope they can replace him without having to offer the party, held in contempt like never before, to a vengeful electorate. They will want to begin rebuilding without carrying the burden of having led the party to its Waterloo.

Mr Cowen has often spoken of how strongly he values loyalty and he may put that into practice by enduring the slings and arrows before resigning after an election. Nevertheless, the only thing that seems to be at issue now is the timing of his resignation. Anything else would put Lazarus in the ha’penny place.