A week is long time in politics: Has Labour regained some ground?
This week in New Zealand politics was an apt reminder of Harold Wilson’s famous quote that “a week is a long time in politics,” when Prime Minister Bill English found himself momentarily entangled in the Todd Barclay’s investigation.
Since it is not the intention of this piece to make a statement with confidence that the Labour Party has regained some ground in the last week of New Zealand politics, therefore it delves into, rather than answer the question, which is currently animating the minds of many Kiwis.
Has Labour regained some ground in the last week of NZ politics?
According to the Newshub Reid-Research poll that came a week before, the Labour Party had recorded a significant drop of 4.4 per cent down to 26.4 per cent – its lowest result on the same poll since the last election.
Despite Labour Leader Andrew Little’s shrugging off that poll results as something trivial which does not necessarily tells what real New Zealanders are telling Mr Little, the question persists in the minds of many Kiwis, if the Party has regained some ground this week.
Although Mike Hosking of NewstalkZB has summarily discounted the whole Todd Barclay fiasco as something trivial and insignificant for the real people out there who face real issues like jobs and taxes, thus relegating the issue for some “political obsessive” without making any impact on Mr English.
The conventional wisdom in media commentary is suggesting otherwise.
NZ Herald Political Editor Audrey Young is critical of the blatant absence of any regret from Mr English. “The disturbing part about the events of this week at Parliament is the lack of contrition from English,” Ms Young commented. Similarly, Claire Trevett, Herald’s Deputy Political Editor comments that Bill English’s integrity was previously seen as a strong point, which has been now questioned.
The list is long and illustrious in the mainstream media, who are taking away some points from the National Party and Prime Minister Bill English.
Indeed, some points are to be taken away from the National Party, but it is not yet clear which party will gain those points as Winston Peters and Andrew Little continue to claim those points on high moral grounds.
RNZ Political Editor Jane Patterson has already taken some points away from the National Party and Bill English and given it away to the Labour Party.
However, it is not yet crystal clear who will be gaining those points.
From a Kiwi-Indian voter’s perspective, which appears least connected with Bill English’s current moment of discomfort in national politics, at some other times, any fall in National Party’s numbers would have automatically translated into Labour’s ascendency.
But not in current times of elections with a heightened pitch around immigration numbers, where the community is extra sensitive toward whom it perceives can provide strong leadership to the country.
In that regard, the community has been comparatively warm toward Prime Minister Bill English, who seems to have the momentum with him after inheriting power from the previous Prime Minister John Key.
Therefore, a question mark on Mr English’s ability to handle a crisis situation, if not on integrity, can potentially make some opening for the Labour Party within the Kiwi-Indian community.
However, nothing stated above proves beyond doubt that Labour would have automatically gained points within the Kiwi-Indian community.
There is no substitute for getting their political messaging right within the community.
This week in New Zealand politics was an apt reminder of Harold Wilson’s famous quote that “a week is a long time in politics,” when Prime Minister Bill English found himself momentarily entangled in the Todd Barclay’s investigation.
Since it is not the intention of this piece to make a statement...
This week in New Zealand politics was an apt reminder of Harold Wilson’s famous quote that “a week is a long time in politics,” when Prime Minister Bill English found himself momentarily entangled in the Todd Barclay’s investigation.
Since it is not the intention of this piece to make a statement with confidence that the Labour Party has regained some ground in the last week of New Zealand politics, therefore it delves into, rather than answer the question, which is currently animating the minds of many Kiwis.
Has Labour regained some ground in the last week of NZ politics?
According to the Newshub Reid-Research poll that came a week before, the Labour Party had recorded a significant drop of 4.4 per cent down to 26.4 per cent – its lowest result on the same poll since the last election.
Despite Labour Leader Andrew Little’s shrugging off that poll results as something trivial which does not necessarily tells what real New Zealanders are telling Mr Little, the question persists in the minds of many Kiwis, if the Party has regained some ground this week.
Although Mike Hosking of NewstalkZB has summarily discounted the whole Todd Barclay fiasco as something trivial and insignificant for the real people out there who face real issues like jobs and taxes, thus relegating the issue for some “political obsessive” without making any impact on Mr English.
The conventional wisdom in media commentary is suggesting otherwise.
NZ Herald Political Editor Audrey Young is critical of the blatant absence of any regret from Mr English. “The disturbing part about the events of this week at Parliament is the lack of contrition from English,” Ms Young commented. Similarly, Claire Trevett, Herald’s Deputy Political Editor comments that Bill English’s integrity was previously seen as a strong point, which has been now questioned.
The list is long and illustrious in the mainstream media, who are taking away some points from the National Party and Prime Minister Bill English.
Indeed, some points are to be taken away from the National Party, but it is not yet clear which party will gain those points as Winston Peters and Andrew Little continue to claim those points on high moral grounds.
RNZ Political Editor Jane Patterson has already taken some points away from the National Party and Bill English and given it away to the Labour Party.
However, it is not yet crystal clear who will be gaining those points.
From a Kiwi-Indian voter’s perspective, which appears least connected with Bill English’s current moment of discomfort in national politics, at some other times, any fall in National Party’s numbers would have automatically translated into Labour’s ascendency.
But not in current times of elections with a heightened pitch around immigration numbers, where the community is extra sensitive toward whom it perceives can provide strong leadership to the country.
In that regard, the community has been comparatively warm toward Prime Minister Bill English, who seems to have the momentum with him after inheriting power from the previous Prime Minister John Key.
Therefore, a question mark on Mr English’s ability to handle a crisis situation, if not on integrity, can potentially make some opening for the Labour Party within the Kiwi-Indian community.
However, nothing stated above proves beyond doubt that Labour would have automatically gained points within the Kiwi-Indian community.
There is no substitute for getting their political messaging right within the community.
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