0 UPDATED: Where is the outrage?

UPDATE: We have already received some responses from MP's including a response from one MP's whose condemnation was not sought! It's interesting too that this post and our tweets about it have attracted the attention of staff in Mr Peters' office.

Here they are, in chronological order, with the most recent at the top:

Kudos to Metiria Turei:

Nanaia Mahuta has come to the party; good on her:

We didn't seek Clare Curran's opinion, but she must have felt compelled to comment. Her "look over there" attitude, and her defence of Kim Dotcom yesterday make one wonder if Paddy Gower was right:

Louise Upston notes that it was National (via Anne Tolley) who forced Peters to apologise:

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We blogged yesterday about Winston Peters' disgraceful behaviour in Parliament yesterday. These stories in the Herald and on Stuff also touch on Peters' scurrilous behaviour.

Unsubstantiated smears and conspiracy theories are Peters' stock in trade, as are his constant threats to reveal more. Judith Collins was supposed to be gone last week, then again by Monday, but she was back in Parliament yesterday, and we could have sworn we listened to her answer a question in her capacity as a Minister.

But yesterday's attack on Brendan Horan was calculated and deliberate, especially when Peters made the "Jimmy Savile" reference a second time. He was required to withdraw and apologise, which he did reluctantly.

But once again Winston Peters seems to be getting a free pass simply, we suspect, because he's Winston Peters. That excuses nothing. Peters' smear against Horan deserves widespread condemnation.

So we've done something about it. We have sent tweets to a number of female MP's from across the House; National, Labour and the Greens. By and large, these are MP's who have been vocal about sexual violence towards women.

There's no point in sending messages to NZ First's female MP's, because whatever they may think privately, they will stick to Peters like mud sticks to carpet. Over the course of the day, we will blog replies.

Winston Peters has a long history of bullying, unsubstantiated allegations and threats. It's time that Parliament, the media and the public called him out on it.

0 A new low, even by Winston Peters' standards

Winston Peters has called plenty of people plenty of names over his many, many years in politics. But he hit rock-bottom this afternoon; Stuff reports:

Open hostilities have erupted between independent MP Brendan Horan and his former boss after NZ First leader Winston Peters today referred to Horan as "Jimmy Saville". 
Peters twice made reference to Horan as Saville, the late BBC presenter accused of sex crimes against children.
The first reference followed Horan attempting to table NZ First board meeting minutes which he told Parliament "point to improper use of taxpayer money".
Peters responded: "This House should not be used in that way particularly by the Jimmy Saville of New Zealand politics."
His second reference followed Horan attempting to table a document in Parliament linking Peters to a racehorse.
Horan was denied permission to table the document, prompting Peters to say "Jimmy Saville needs to know better than that".
Horan demanded Peters withdraw and apologise for the remark and said he had taken offence at the "disgusting comments". 

Firstly, we need to correct the Stuff subbie who posted this story on Tracy Watkins' behalf; it's Jimmy Savile, not Saville.

But enough pedantry. To compare anyone, let alone another member of Parliament to the serial paedophile that Savile has been exposed posthumously as being is both disgusting and disgraceful. The Rt Hon Member ought be ashamed of himself for indulging in such gutter politics; not just once, but twice.

Winston Peters has plumbed the depths regularly throughout his parliamentary career. Today however was a new low, even by his own standards. 

It's time that Winston Peters was put out to pasture, and we hope fervently that will happen four months from today.