The Labour Party has a clock counting down to polling day. It starts at 25 days, seven hours, 30 minutes.

MONDAY
Pat Rabbitte starts a nationwide tour from Government Buildings with a prediction he'll arrive back there . . . inside the gates . . . after 24 May. No fireworks at Dublin Castle but we know Ahern has more to answer about his finances. "Bizarre, " says Enda Kenny. Ahern isn't taking questions and FF is on the backfoot. Ciaran Conlon, FG's press director, warns that FF will claim credit for Christmas while blaming FG for the Great Famine. He needn't worry today. FF is struggling to get the agenda back onto the economy. Brian Cowen predicts the opposition will burn slowly on the barbie. It sounds so 2002.

TUESDAY
Good news, at last, for Ahern. "Fianna Fail will improve a bit, " Frank Flannery, FG's director of elections, says. They'd better because if they don't, Flannery's alternative will see them "in Armageddon country and it won't be pretty". Still no politicians at the FG briefing. "Our campaign will be mobile. Not desk-based, " Conlon explains. Abortion is back on the agenda. FG opposes legislation in all circumstances. At his briefing, Pat Rabbitte has 10 areas where there's a difference between Labour and FF/PD. He omits a signi"cant difference with his FG partners: "I hope the court facilitates a speedy termination in this case, " he honestly responds. FF's Seamus Brennan talks of a new SSIA scheme to promote pensions . . . it is not costed.

WEDNESDAY
A FG politician finally arrives for the party's briefing.

Conlon and Flannery are joined by senator Brian Hayes.

There's still no FG interest in Ahern's tribunal woes. Hogan, a Carlow-Kilkenny TD, smilingly greets a colleague with:

"You're doing a great job." And why wouldn't FG be happy? FF is further in the mire. Cowen is trying to undo yesterday's SSIA/pension announcement. The Taoiseach's finances won't go away. "I'm not a bit embarrassed about the Taoiseach, " Cowen adds.

THURSDAY
Enda Kenny is at the FG briefing with Limerick West TD Dan Neville. Having two politicians at the top table is a new record. "There's a real sense of anxiety coming from Fianna Fail, " Kenny predicts. Over at Labour, Rabbitte says there's "growing dismay in the FF camp". Two leaders.

One message. They don't know how right they are. Nurses protest outside the Mansion House where FF is publishing its manifesto. Ahern announces a U-turn on stamp duty.

Vincent Browne seeks answers. PJ Mara is verbally thumped. These guys were once the election masters.

FRIDAY
'Leave Bertie alone, ' is FF's pitch. But the PDs haven't been listening. Michael McDowell says he's heard enough new material to need time to reflect. "And my reflections are always serious, " he adds with a wide grin. But the real smiles are from the alternative Taoiseach and Tanaiste as Kenny and Rabbitte meet for the "rst time since the campaign began.