主播大秀

Backscratching "inappropriate"

• Mark Devenport
• 30 Apr 07, 10:23 AM

When the news broke that Bertie Ahern had been invited to address both Houses of Parliament at Westminster on May 15th, it appeared obvious that mutual backscratching was the order of the day. Bertie would say nice things about Tony the departing statesman, and in return get a newsworthy platform a few days before going to the polls in the Republic.

Over the weekend the Taoiseach confirmed the Irish election date as May 24th. Shortly afterwards the former Irish Labour leader Ruairi Quinn criticised the timing of the Westminster invitation as a serious error of judgement. Mr Quinn said the event should be rescheduled for after polling day. He added that he was sure the British authorities "would not have wanted to leave themselves open to the claim that such an event might have an impact on the internal political situation in this country."

Sinn Fein's Mary Lou McDonald has rounded on Ruairi Quinn accusing him of being "totally begrudging and negative".

So what's the betting this event will be postponed until after May 24th?