Matt McCarten opines about the travesty that is Labour at the moment. He isn’t holding back either:
Spin over last week’s political polling is that David Shearer must lift his game if Labour is to be competitive. That’s true, but he is pitched against the most popular prime minister in living history.
It will take Shearer at least until election year before voters pay him much attention. His current 13-14 per cent preferred prime minister support is twice as much as Phil Goff managed and it took Helen Clark almost a decade before she smote her opponent.
It was always going to take a lot to knock off a Key-led National Party. Does it look like Shearer could despatch Key yet? Of course not.
Finally Matt McCarten acknowledges that which the electorate has known for quite some time…that John Key is popular…and everyone else, not so much. The problems though for Labour lie in those below Shearer.
But no single person can win government without a front bench of competent potential cabinet ministers. So here’s the real question: do Labour front benchers look like they are ready to govern? Have they earned the confidence of the public?
Labour’s problem is not its leader, it’s the caucus. The Green Party in Parliament is less than half Labour’s size yet day after day they prove how lacklustre our main opposition party is.
McCarten then goes on to excoriate the red team and explain just how lacklustre they are:
David Parker – “What sense do you have of their finance spokesman? It’s David Parker, if you’ve forgotten.”
David Cunliffe – “Cunliffe must have a secret plan he’s not sharing with us because he hasn’t initiated one attack on Joyce for more than a month. He’s awol.”
Jacinda Ardern – “…can’t seem to lay a hand on Paula Bennett as she goes about kicking the poor. The most attention Ardern got was when Maggie Barry made a nasty remark over her not having a child.”
Maryan Street – “…Tony Ryall must find it hard to believe he hasn’t had one sleepless night from being marked by Maryan Street. I respect Street but she’s made no impact on him.”
Nanaia Mahuta – “Does anyone outside the Wellington beltway even know she is Labour’s education spokesperson?
You’d think with all the fallout from National Standards and charter schools she’d be a household name. Yet in over a month, according to her own website, she’s put out a total of three press releases.”
Parekura Horomia - ”…has put out just two press releases in nearly six months. One was condolences to a family and the other acknowledged the Maori New Year. Good grief!”
Things are pretty dire when your own fanbois have now’t to say.
