Labour gets a filip in the latest round of invented news known as polls. They should enjoy it while it lasts. It is exactly the length of time between now and four weeks from Election Day, whenever that is. Of course there are calls for the Nats to release more policy, and the Nats would be silly to oblige. Until an election date is fixed there won't be anything more revealed than minor policy tweaks. The MSM have been snapping up any perceived wardobe malfunctions, such as Kate Wilkinson's booby on KiwiSaver.
The MSM have enough on their plates anyway, with Winston unravelling before their eyes, his lies and cronyism exposed. At least his Mum saw him as an honourable schoolboy to the end, which is more than can be said for the rest of us.
DPF points out the flaw in Helen Clark's comparison of Winston's legal fund is comparable to Nick Smith's. Smith was a defendant, while Peters is a vexatious litigant. What's more, Smith declared the trust in the MPs' pecuniary interests register. Owen Glenn's $100,000 donation not only didn't appear there, its alleged movement through various bank accounts has the whiff of laundry powder about it.
Helen Clark is trapped. She must demonstrate confidence in her Foreign Minister in a way none of her caucus would receive. Benson-Pope didn't, neither did Dalzeil. But as the Foreign Minister was chosen by her and not the caucus, the stakes are higher. To sack Peters would be to admit one's judgement was flawed.
Then again, it is not in the Nats' interests to get too involved either, what with Winston sitting on 6 percent in the preferred PM poll. Hate him or loathe him, the Alzheimer vote may make Winston a force to be reckoned with come coalition time. Bill English's comments on the Glenn/Williams/Peters triangle is that much more intriguing because of this.
.......
Labour's supporters at 08wire have started a flame war with frogblog over a patronisingly unilateral declaration of where the Green MPs would fit into a Labour coalition government. Frog took particular exception to “Sue K pressed up against the glass.”
