Irish PM facing confidence vote

The Irish prime minister is due to face a confidence vote over his leadership of the ruling Fianna Fail party.

On Sunday, Brian Cowen called the vote while indicating his wish to lead the party into a spring general election.

It followed two days of consultation with party colleagues with some backbenchers demanding his resignation.

Mr Cowen has faced scrutiny over a meeting he held with the head of Anglo Irish Bank shortly before he announced a multi-billion euro bank guarantee.

One of those believed to be a rival for the top job, foreign minister Micheal Martin, has already pledged to vote against Mr Cowen in the secret ballot.

Finance minister Brian Lenihan, whose support for Mr Cowen is seen as crucial to his survival, has refused to be drawn on what his position will be.

Speaking on RTE on Monday evening, Mr Cowen said his party faced a fight ahead of the election and needed a fighter at its head.

He added that he was convinced that he had the numbers necessary to pass the motion and that he had acted honourably in seeking to the put the question of his leadership to the party.

Mr Martin, whose offer to resign was rejected by Mr Cowen, said he had challenged the prime minister because the future of the party was at stake.

Potentially fatal

BBC Ireland correspondent Mark Simpson said that Mr Cowen’s supporters remain confident of a comfortable victory.

“That could change, however, if the finance minister Brian Lenihan joins the ranks of the rebels and voices his opposition to Mr Cowen.

“One of the unwritten rules of politics is that a prime minister can survive with just one senior cabinet minister against him – but two is potentially fatal.

“Mr Lenihan’s refusal to clarify his position on Monday evening may well have led to a sleepless night for Mr Cowen.”

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