Enda Kenny in eleventh-hour email snub to Labour
Mr Kenny and Ms Burton yesterday held a final press conference and photocall and made a final-day appeal by encouraging transfers between the two parties.
However, Mr Kenny, in a personal email plea to party supporters last night, called on them to get out the vote and support only Fine Gael candidates, without mentioning the Labour Party.
“So please get on the phone, knock on doors and push out the message online: The only way to keep the recovery going and ensure its benefits reach every home in Ireland is to vote Fine Gael in your area,” he wrote.
As the country heads to the polls today, Fine Gael have in the past 24 hours ramped up leaflet drops in marginal constituencies in a bid to maximise the party’s vote.
The Tánaiste has responded to the Taoiseach's 'whingers' comment https://t.co/K2Trd0BMen pic.twitter.com/t7fFQSXimT
— Irish Examiner (@irishexaminer) February 22, 2016
Mr Kenny encouraged party supporters to not only vote for Fine Gael but also to “forward this email on to your friends and encourage them to vote for Fine Gael candidates in their area too”.
The inconsistent messaging from Mr Kenny is a signal that the party is prepared to consider alternative options post today’s election in terms of forming a government.
However, yesterday morning, both he and Ms Burton were talking up the merits of a vote transfer pact.
Ms Burton said: “I really feel people have to vote number one for Labour and after that to transfer to Fine Gael.” She was joined by Mr Kenny, who endorsed the notion of Fine Gael voters giving their second preference to Labour.
Mr Kenny said it had been a “great privilege” to work with the Labour Party over the last five years.
It's all to play for as Election 2016 campaigns enter their final days https://t.co/qJKrzBNKHd (DOD) #GE16 pic.twitter.com/7lsAXaI5Wh
— Irish Examiner (@irishexaminer) February 22, 2016
“Let me endorse that,” he said of Ms Burton’s transfer plea.
Meanwhile, Billy Kelleher, Fianna Fáil’s director of elections, said Fine Gael and Labour have used “fear and smear” as their main campaign tactic.
Mr Kelleher ridiculed the photocall by the Taoiseach and Tánaiste. “This is how desperate they are, sharing a cup of tea down by the docks. Things are really coming to an end for them,” he said.
Mr Kelleher also insisted it would not be credible for the party to enter coalition with Fine Gael.
“At the risk of being repetitive, we are not going into government with Fine Gael,” he said.
“They thought they really only had to turn up to Croke Park, didn’t have to play on the pitch and that they could walk up the Hogan Stand and pick up the cup. But they forgot they actually had to play the match.”
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