Colm Burke MEP has been asked to 'step aside'

[kerrynorth]

Live on Radio Kerry now. Says he was asked after Christmas to 'step aside' from next years European elections. However, he says he will be going to the convention regardless. He says he is aware that Sean Kelly (GAA) John Dillon (IFA) and others have been approached by FG to run in South.

[Rebel CNC]

I'm sure he won't step aside. Very difficult to step off the European gravy train once you've sampled its delights.

He was a very strange choice to replace Coveney in the first place. Even in Cork he was a fairly low profile local politician

[kerrynorth]

As 1st reserve on the list wasn't he the automatic choice?

[meriwether]

I can see a 'them up in Dublin wanted me to step aside, but no-one's telling us Cork people what to do' campaign being launched, and succeeding, a la Sean O'Neachtain in 04.

[Rebel CNC]

As 1st reserve on the list wasn't he the automatic choice?

Perhaps that was it. End result is the same for FG though - they've landed themselves a very low profile candidate for 2009. There will be enough FG votes in Munster to get him elected next year but not sure will he bring in a huge % vote to give the party a bit of a push. FG need big hitters to capitalise on the relative success of last year and maintain momentum for next general election.

[rockofcashel]

I can see a 'them up in Dublin wanted me to step aside, but no-one's telling us Cork people what to do' campaign being launched, and succeeding, a la Sean O'Neachtain in 04.

Yup, he's getting in his sympathy trip early... possibly a bit too early though

I see his face on lots of Yes posters around here in the last few weeks, is he paying for them himself ? Or is the party paying for them, and then engineering this whole sympathy thing, just to up his profile

[jerryp]

Yes, " they're all against us Corkonians " is a handy tag in this type of situation. I somehow doubt, though, that Seán Kelly is the big name that FG and Kelly think. Michael Noonan might be a better bet to get the vote out.

[locke]

At present, all MEPs are based in Cork, so Noonan running a Limerick candidacy would work well for Fine Gael. And if he got elected, it might solve some of their problems in Limerick East at the next election.

[Defeated Romanticist]

At present, all MEPs are based in Cork, so Noonan running a Limerick candidacy would work well for Fine Gael. And if he got elected, it might solve some of their problems in Limerick East at the next election.

I don't know why they are engaging in this tom-foolery.

They have a safe seat anyway.

[CorkHurler]

This is similar to the way poor Bernie Malone was treated by the Labour party. Though in the end she overplayed her hand somewhat and appeared something like a cross between a spoilt child and an old biddy.