Who will be the next Labour leader?

[Bob Kane]

If the Labour party is bright, they'll pick David Shearer.
Why?
He's photogenic.
That's the main quality needed in a political leader.

[drelly]

I agree but suspect they will go with Cunliffe

[essence]

On the VERY scientific Stuff poll *cough cough cough*, David Shearer is leading by a large margin.

It doesn't matter who they go with, Labour needs to re-invigorate their policies so that they become more relevant to NZ voters.

The rot started under Helen Clarke, when they became too intrusive into people's every day lives when they tried to legislate the water flow on shower heads. There's a couple of other instances but at the moment they elude me.

NZ-ers don't like being micro-managed by ANY political party and when that happens, they vote against them.

Remember, there's a difference between GOVERNANCE and MANAGEMENT. When you lose sight of the difference, you lose the people.

[gavinc]

I hope Cunliffe gets it - not because he is the best man but because he will ensure Labour gets no where near power at the next election

[spaceman]

I saw a quick snip of Shearer on the TV something like ..." I should be leader because I faced down Somali gunmen ".... what a tosser

Cheers
Spaceman

[Maccachic]

I vote they stick in Dan Carter (or some other equally famous person) that will win them some votes.

[gavinc]

yeah - I saw that I stood up to Somali gunmen and they buckled quip as well - pathetic.

[hawkeye]

As I'm not a Labour voter I'd like them to pick Cunliffe and Mahuta. A bit like Tony Benn leading the British labour Party in the 80's, totally unelectable.

Parker with a bit of media training might do well for them. At least he is sincere in his beliefs and I'd trust him to do what he has outlined to do.

Shearer needs other people to say how brave he was in Somalia rather than saying it about himself. Again he'll learn and I think he is the person that National would least like Labour to choose. The quip about Key making money overseas and him helping people overseas is also a turn off. I applaud his efforts for humanity but again it is a step too far to beat his own drum about it.

[Bob Kane]

If Cunliffe puts the Labour party first, he will withdraw his leadership challenge.
If he puts himself first he will continue his challenge.
We will see where his loyalty lies over the next two weeks.

I expect him to continue his challenge and I hope he wins - I'm happy for Labour to remain in opposition after the next election.

[eri]

leaders of the left

have a terrible track record of doing what's best for the party and "taking the hint"

rather they try to better share their inside knowledge on how much better they are than everyone else......

rather memorably stated by goff whitlam, in 1975?, when after being sacked by the GG he stated

"i cannot say i have been a good prime minister

that is for the people of australia to decide

i can only say

i have been the best prime minister they have ever had"

whitlam, lange, latham, hawke, keating, clarke, blair, brown

not to say stalin mao, ceauchescu? pol pot and the kim family

even helen

bless her socks

said she was surprised by how ungrateful we all were...

[Bob Kane]

Caught a glimpse of the two Davids on the 6pm news.
Shearer appeared incompetent and a dumb bugger.
Fortunately that's not a handicap in the Labour party.
Cunliffe will win easily (at this stage - his faults are still hidden) and lead Labour to a loss in 2014.
So Key will rule until 2017.

[drelly]

I think Shearer has better public appeal and personality than Cunliffe but he seems hopelessly politically inexperienced. Cunliffe will win and National will be in Govmint forever more!

[eri]

labour will eventually choose the right leader

after they have explored all other options

this is because the left, like most bureaucracies, prefers seniority

over talent

they have a reflexive distrust of the desires of the electorate

we are all just children to them

to be educated

not listened too

hence the nanny state

[eri]

- David Cunliffe says his first priority as a leader will be to 'reunite the caucus."

like i give a sh%t about them...

He promises "significant modernisation" of the party, saying it had to earn the confidence of New Zealanders again and reach out to provincial and rural areas.

of course it has to reach out , with open hand, to rural areas, that's where the money/exporters are....

His rival David Shearer also promises to renew the party, saying its success hinged on its ability to build and keep deep connections with New Zealanders.

"And if we are honest, we have to accept some of our connections to communities have frayed over time, and we need to renew them. We need to act urgently to rebuild, and especially in places where New Zealand deserted us in huge numbers at the last election."He said businesses as well as those at the bottom end of the gap between the rich and the poor should all be able to look to Labour as the party that would help them prosper. Labour's core philosophy was "opportunity for all""We must not budge from this and under my leadership we will not."

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/n...ectid=10771347

so we can see who the "party man" is

and his priorities...

[Bob Kane]

I'm not happy.
Shearer just might win it.
Bugger.