Iron Mike promises a clean fight `on basis of policies'

Michael Noonan and Enda Kenny stood on either side of party chairman Phil Hogan, who looked uncomfortably like a boxing referee as he prepared to announce the leadership vote.

Everyone knew what the result would be. Indeed there was relief among his supporters that Enda Kenny's features were still more or less pretty in defeat. Not exactly a featherweight, he had nevertheless stepped up several divisions for his bout with Iron Mike, and there had been no guarantee he would emerge with his smile still evenly distributed.

But this was Fine Gael, so there was never likely to be blood on the floor, or any horrified colleagues shouting: "Oh no, they've killed Kenny!" Announcing the 44-28 split decision in Iron Mike's favour, the chairman didn't even raise the victor's arm. It was left to Mr Noonan to raise his own, after some prompting, and in a joyous but not triumphalist way.

Even so, when he made his formal speech at the Mansion House, it was fighting talk. His front bench teams - "commando units" he had called them at the party meeting - would "take the fight into the Dail". Of his even more dramatic idea to refuse corporate donations with immediate effect, he promised "the father and mother of all battles" if Fianna Fail tried to "buy the next election".

He also took aim at a Coalition soft spot: the Boston v Berlin debate. The US was the country he most liked to visit, he said, jabbing with his right. He spoke fondly of "Manhattan" and "the Rockies" and then, before you could say Rocky Noonan, he jabbed his left hook. "But, If I were old or poor or ill, I'd rather be in France or Germany."

John Bruton was on his way to Italy by then. He had voted early before leaving for Rome. Behind him the party was guiltily enjoying the publicity attendant on his demise. Bruton loyalist Brian Hayes wondered if it was the "bloodbath" element that attracted the media. God love him, Brian has never witnessed a Fianna Fail heave.

Enda Kenny's promise to "electrify" the party appeared to be working, as members picked their way around TV cables, trying not get electrified too literally.

Asked if he had a message for the Taoiseach, the new Fine Gael leader showed clever footwork. Everyone would be expecting them to produce a "Punch and Judy show", he said. "So let's surprise them. Let's fight it on the basis of policies."