Government holds its tongue on Tories’ travails

‘Whatever you say, say nothing.” That old Seamus Heaney phrase could sum up the Irish government’s attitude to the Tory leadership contest.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar would not be drawn last week on the prospect of Boris Johnson taking over at 10 Downing Street. Tánaiste Simon Coveney has maintained the same vow of silence.

It is, of course, the safest option to avoid backing the wrong horse or criticising the eventual winner, even though ...