Enda Kenny branded 'a trouble-making messenger boy'
Enda Kenny has been branded a “trouble-making messenger boy” after making a case on behalf of Scotland during EU Brexit talks, .
Despite the impacts Brexit could have on this country— particularly in trade, the border and movement of people — Mr Kenny used some of his time at a meeting of European leaders to lobby on behalf of Scotland.
Last night Mr Kenny came under fire from Ukip for “interfering in the internal affairs of the UK at EU level”.
After a crunch EU summit in Brussels, Mr Kenny confirmed he had passed on the view of Nicola Sturgeon’s Sottish National Party (SNP) that “Scotland had a very strong belief that they should not be dragged out of the European Union having voted to stay”.
Scottish Ukip MEP David Coburn said Mr Kenny had acted as a “gofer” for the SNP and said he would be “better off ensuring the prosperity and democratic self-governance of the Irish people”.
“Instead of acting as a trouble-making messenger boy for the SNP, Enda Kenny would be better off explaining to Ms Sturgeon that national democracy and EU membership are incompatible.”
Scottish first minister Ms Sturgeon, who was in Brussels yesterday, welcomed Mr Kenny’s intervention on her behalf. She said she had spoken to Mr Kenny a few days before the referendum.
“I spoke to him again on the telephone yesterday [Tuesday] asking him to make Scotland’s voice heard and I know he has done that, and by all accounts he had done that very effectively and I am very grateful to him for that,” she said.
Mr Kenny yesterday said David Cameron had told him he would give “whatever help he can” to retain an open border between Ireland and the North.
The Taoiseach reminded EU leaders of the critical position Ireland now finds itself in relation to a Brexit.
Mr Kenny last night told the Fine Gael party meeting that Ms Sturgeon had told him her country would have no “power” to stop Britain implementing its exit from the EU through article 50.
Party sources said Mr Kenny described how the Conservatives would need “space” deciding on a new leader, by September, and then more space to agree their position for Brexit negotiations.
The European Council, the leaders, would then take the lead in the talks and Mr Kenny would be “at the heart” of those, the meeting heard.
Jobs Minister Mary Mitchell O’Connor said IDA and Enterprise Ireland bosses had reported “no alarm bells” from multinationals or foreign companies here threatening to leave following the Brexit vote.
