Irish opposition backs Varadkar deal for another year

Leo Varadkar received a big political boost after the opposition party that keeps his minority Irish government in power offered not to force an election for a year because of the turmoil over Brexit.

The Irish premier’s confidence-and-supply deal with Fianna Fáil was due to lapse this month. But its leader Mícheál Martin told parliament on Wednesday that he will continue to support the government as the risk of a no-deal Brexit has risen.

Saying an election next year would not be in Ireland’s national interest, his party will now extend a guarantee to Mr Varadkar’s administration to operate throughout 2019 with the aim of calling an election in early 2020. “This will allow the introduction of any emergency legislation and budgets, as well as the full end of year budget and associated legislation,” Mr Martin said.

After weeks of talks with Mr Varadkar’s Fine Gael party, this marks a change by Mr Martin. He indicated several weeks ago that he would not prompt an election before the terms of the UK’s scheduled exit from the EU next March were settled.

“Fianna Fáil is determined that the political chaos we see in London will not be allowed to spread to Ireland,” he said on Wednesday. “If the government shows good faith this extension can be completed and ratified quickly.”