In the blood sport of internal FF politics, my enemy’s enemy is my friend

THE late Seamus Brennan cautioned the Green party government negotiators that they were now playing All-Ireland senior hurling. Internal Fianna Fáil politics is much more brutal — it’s a genuine blood sport.

The three main players in the past week’s leadership drama displayed clinical ruthlessness. Micheál Martin told the Taoiseach 10 days ago that the game was up. He was toast and had to go. This revolt by the officer corps was much more grave than the ongoing bellyaching from former junior ministers over recent months.

Martin made a cold calculated move. He surmised that Cowen could be vulnerable to a pre-election assault. Worst-case scenario, if abortive, he would be well placed post-election. Potentially, this was a win-win situation. Even if he lost the battle, he could win the war, by being the guy who had the backbone to decapitate Cowen. His supporters would be a ready made constituency of parliamentarians to secure the leadership in the aftermath of FF’s decimation.