Seems like the coup is on again. Might explain Hide’s weird behaviour this week.
Apparently Boscawen is to be the Hide replacement.
Interesting internal analysis of the 2009 version of the issue here.
Some wonder how bright it is for those who depend on Rodney currently for their seats in parliament to try to dump him.
Bit risky, but then maybe Douglas and Roy have decided that a party with under 5% is not what they want. That instead they want to return to the glory days of ACT being a party with principles and principals they could believe in, and one with enough size to have real influence in government.
Trevor the latest poll show ACT support going up.
The latest Roy Morgan NZ Poll shows support for John Key’s National-led Government is virtually unchanged, down 0.5% to 57% comprising National Party 51.5% (down 2%), Maori Party 2% (down 0.5%), ACT NZ 2.5% (up 1%) and United Future 1% (up 1%).
Trev why should we care about a political party whose main intention is to bow down to the every demand of their mates in the Bussiness Roundtable and in Foreign-Owned Multi National Corperations? i personally think if this is true then it would be a good move from Labour’s Point of View.
If Act replaces Hide as leader then they could potentially lose Empson and will have to rely on the Party Vote which judging on current polls in quite meager
Because of the Popularity of John Key,Labour is very unlikely to beat the Nats at the Next Election unless you can get the support of Minor Parties.
The actions of the PM (His absence from any condemnation over Hone Harawira and Rodney Hide when they misused taxpayers money and the Flip Flop over the Supergold Card) has opened a gap for Winston to return to Parliament as a potential Coalition Partner for Labour.
Thanks for the update. I’m enjoying the Act saga very much. I can see a TV series coming out of this when it’s all over.
ACT being such an unhappy caucus will be the primary cause of their disappearance from Parliament next year, regardless of who is leader.
Hide is a political ‘dead man walking’ and in this telegenic era, a huge liability. I tend to accept the notion that there is room for a party on the extreme right with liberal economic and social values. Not sure where the ’sensible sentencing’ crazies fit in. There are ripe pickings on the right of National, those who have grown tired of Key’s poll driven approach. Would Hide do some kind of deal with National to stay in Epsom, perhaps? Bit early through, I hear they don’t want an early election until next year?
Hide will jump ship and switch to being a National MP and get a promotion to cabinet- using the spot still vacant after Heatley and the ‘3 brown bottles’ affair
Is Hide electable as an MP for Epsom once the super city is established?
SPC depends on what National wishes to do. If they want Epsom its hard to believe they won’t get it back. But if they want to continue to have Hide as the MP there that will happen. Also its Epsom so I doubt they’re going to be that unhappy about the Super City.
Neither the Act party nor the Maori party give the impression of being all that cohesive or united in purpose. Not only that, the same could almost be said for the National Party itself, but they are able to subsume their differences while they are riding high in the polls. When they were elected, I thought that behind the scenes “natural party of government” types vied with “continue the neo-liberal revolution” types. The consensus now seems to be “continue the neo-liberal revolution” to the extent that the polls permit. However, any of these parties could, I think, crack under pressure, as happened with the National/NZ First coalition when Jenny Shipley was prime minister.
There’s a considerable tactical advantage to Labour in having ACT go feral. If the “true believers” in ACT dominate, they will force the relationship with National to adopt a more extreme position on economic issues. This is electorally toxic stuff and, ultimately, benefits Labour. Alternatively, Smile and Wave might cut a reinvigorated right wing ACT and rely on the Maori party. But, again, that’s likely to be toxic for the electorate and will, in my view, hasten the inevitable realisation in Maoridom that having Aunty Tari kept in baubles ain’t doing anything for struggling whanau. The longer National and the Maori party stay in coalition, the shorter the Maori Party’s longevity. Put simply, a more right wing ACT party is likely to ultimately benefit Labour. I just worry about the potential damage the government might do before Labour gets back into office.
Normally minor parties spawn even smaller parties in their death throes. Our electoral system and parliament funding seems to encourage this.
So while ACT normally should splinter into two, Hide is too self serving to think he would have a chance as a ‘Hide Party’ electorate MP.
As with anything regarding ACT, the funders are the ones pulling the strings, made harder by the looney right support base. The US tea party crowd comes to mind.
With ACT imploding that puts the ‘The (Minor) Maori Party’ in the box seat. The major Maori party being Labour. Remember the MP( minor) has only 3 times the support of Jim Anderton alone!!
John Key has only 58 seats in his party in a parliament of 122. Remember when they were saying Key has a knack for MMP. We shall see.
His only salvation is an election this year after tax cuts (mmmmm….)
Rather funny to see on a Labour Party website the discussion of poll ratings being important to the leaders chances of avoiding coups.
Labour doing so very well in the polls and all…….
Rodney should go as leader. The problem is, who would replace him? Everyone of those Act MPs (including Rodney) are nit-wits. Their views are so far to the right that any of them are unpalatable as leadership potential.
This Act implosion has got to be bad for National, just as Winnie’s supposed dodginess with Owen Glenn was bad for Labour.
However it’s in National’s best interest to have a thriving Act Party. This is because if National had to choose between Act and the Maori Party, they would choose Act. Act’s policies are more in line with National’s, rather than the Maori Party’s, which is more about policies benefitting their tangata.
When you consider that National’s strong hold are mostly white, the rich and small businesses, and are more sympathetic to Brash’s “iwi/kiwi”, this only makes it stronger to be with Act.
Between you and me it is Heather Roy. She has the numbers and apparently a BBQ is being held at a secret location to work things through.
John Boscawen is not keen because he doesnt think he has the experience or confidence of the caucus. Sir Roger is not fussed as long as Rodney doesnt survive.
If the proposed changes to MMP go ahead in 4 years time then even if they hold Epson which is doubtful then they will only have 1 mp in the house. However its unlikely they’ll still be around then.
I’m with Matt.
Who cares about ACT? They only want to turn the clock back to the 1850’s.
There would be a lot less misery in this country without ACT>
Your right Millsy
Act do want to turn back the clock but i think instead of the 1850’s they want the same failed policies of the 1980’s and early 90’s and again without Act we would have a more moderate selection of parties in Parliament.