I’ve been around the place for a while now and seen plenty of MPs in real trouble. The signs are different. The current nact backbench seem to want to clap every time a weak Minister gives a silly answer.
Bill English gave his answers yesterday to a very very quiet house. Everyone knows something serious is going down but no one is sure where it is going to end up.
What was really fascinating was watching National backbenchers greasing up to Steven Joyce during the Road User Charges legislation after question time. Peachy and Woodhouse in particular.
Joyce is Key’s confidant. He is the one Key goes out into the lobbies to have a discussion with most often. He clearly has talent.
There is a power shift happening in the government and it is interesting to watch national members scramble to be part of it.
I’m not so sure that two rich white men from Auckland is quite the combination the punters are looking for. We will see.
Last warning – stay on topic or the ban goes to three months. Trevor
I am not so concerned about the two rich white men from Auckland aspect as I am about the two rich white men from Auckland when one of the men has an extremely limited experience in Parliament and with various government Ministries. I am sure you are right about Joyce having talent, but he hasn’t been in the house for a year yet.
Anyway, what the National Party Caucus decides is entirely up to the National Party Caucus.
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Whats wrong with being rich and successful in business? Why is it terrible to have them leading a government as opposed to academics and trade unionists?
If English gets sidelined and if he eventually gets toppled by Joyce there may be an uprising amongst the conservative side of the National, not necessarily within Parliament but in the Party itself where English’s power base is.
English is the hard working rural boy who has gained alot of respect of late, with Nationals provincial voters, which is where the Nats core voters reside. I doubt that Joyce, the chubby faced slick business man will resonate with those voters.
I’m extremely worried about the current Minister for Trucking Interests getting more power.
James99,
Surely they couldn’t have two urban commerce Aucklanders as leader and deputy, National needs to at least nod toward their rural constituency. So if English is rolled then it still can;t be Joyce.
P.S. Yeah I know, Brash/Brownlee – at least Brownlee is from the South Island.
It’s obliviously Key’s choice to have Joyce as Finance Minister, but that wouldn’t be smart as it will alienate the Nats rural voters and give more scope for Labour to attack.
My pick is that things won’t change but Joyce will have more and more influence behind the scenes as time progresses.
so you will ban me (rest deleted and I am getting very very close Trevor)
Mr Mallard, I would be more worried about Labour’s leadership prospects, if I were you. After all, how long can Labour tolerate a leader who is wallowing at seven percent?
At what point does a political party realise that the governing party’s lead at the next election is unassailable?
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Tim, I see you’re back on target deflecting issues. What got into you over at “The Standard”? I mean you actually criticised John Key over something….. a glitch in the software perhaps?
Tim when Crosby Textor have more experience in NZ your lines will include the fact that Helen was on 4% and the party on 14% in 1996 and we very nearly formed the government at the end of that year. But that is off topic and I’m pretty tolerant not deleting it.
Nice mischief-making. Its a sad day when Red Alert sounds more and more like The Standard.
I wonder if these manoueverings are not actually something Key should be worried about? This crop of National Inc ministers are more used to board-room politics than the far harsher realities of real politics. Blinglish has a smouldering resentment after getting tipped out for Johnny-come-lately. Over the next two months Key is off on a series of jaunts throughout the Asia area and when the cats away . . . Blinglish for PM and Joyce for finance, maybe?
Also, I know the bugger has wangled tickets to the All Blacks game in Japan, but is it really true that Key is planning please leave families out of this blog Trevor
Mr Mallard, I don’t think it’s off-topic. If you had asked a question in the house about the government’s leadership, and a minister had responded about Labour’s leadership, then the speaker would have allowed it.
One of the beauties of blogs is that the comments sections sometimes go in directions that the blog poster doesn’t initially intend. That isn’t because people are straying off-topic, it’s just where conversations lead. And I’m afraid that if you raise an issue about the stability of National’s leadership when its poll ratings are at 56% (far higher than Mr Bolger had at the start of 1996, or I believe any time during his prime ministership), it is relevant that Labour is trailing National by 25 points.
Goff is up from 3.7% earlier in the year to 7% that’s about double the support. He hasn’t been leader for very long and I think he should be given a chance. Go Goff!!!!!!!!!
I agree with Moi, Phil Goff hasn’t been in the job for very long. Let’s see in a years time if he has made any improvements in the polls.
Phil Goff hasn’t been in the job for very long. Let’s see in a years time if he has made any improvements in the polls.
His big chances are
(a) September, when he addresses the Labour Party conference. 30% of the population supports Labour but only 7% wants Goff as Prime Minister. He needs to capture some of his party support.
(b) Early next year when the party will move from straight opposition to trying to set the agenda. If he can’t make it into the high twenties by next March it’s going to look pretty rough.
speaking as a tory i say we should give phill goff a chance.in fact i suggest that labour pledge phill support for the next 3 elections please
Goff 2011!!!!!!!!!