Whilst this entire Dominion-Post column from Duncan Garner is well worth a read, the opening in particular stood out. The piece is headed Don't follow the leader: Cunliffe's demise will be Granted and Garner opines:
Garner certainly hasn't pulled any punches in his op-ed this morning. And we don't imagine that David Cunliffe will have felt any particular fondness towards the RadioLive host and former 3News political editor as he read the piece this morning over his bircher meusli with honey (freshly gathered) and trim latte at his Herne Bay "mid-range do-up".
We do suggest that you read the whole piece, which ends by suggesting that Grant Robertson could roll David Cunliffe right now, but that he and Jacinda Ardern will wait until after the election. Whilst Robertson's lack of action now very likely condemns Labour to a third term in opposition, you can hardly blame him.
Labour ditched former leader David Shearer because he struggled to string two sentences together on a good day. So surely it couldn't have got any worse, right? Wrong.
It's a train wreck under David Cunliffe and Labour's MPs are grumpy, nervous and wondering what they may be doing for a crust after September 20. The prospect of losing your job and the $150,000 salary always focuses the mind.
This week Labour slumped to 23 per cent in Fairfax's stuff/Ipsos poll - under Shearer it was in the low 30s when he was dumped.
Cunliffe has taken the party backwards when he promised to take it forward. Could Labour be on track to record its worst-ever election defeat? Yes.
When Cunliffe utters a word or two these days the collective intake of breath among his MPs is simply frightening.
He's had a host of gaffes this year - and the best he's looked was when he shut up and stood in the background while his wife, Karen Price, talked about the birds (chickens) and the bees in an interview at their home.
Cunliffe was parachuted into the job of leader, not because his MPs really wanted him - most dislike him - but because Labour Party members and union affiliates were desperate for someone to articulate their values.
To say he's been a disappointment is an understatement. After this week's horrors he looks unelectable as the next prime minister. He's genuinely gone from bad to worse.
Garner certainly hasn't pulled any punches in his op-ed this morning. And we don't imagine that David Cunliffe will have felt any particular fondness towards the RadioLive host and former 3News political editor as he read the piece this morning over his bircher meusli with honey (freshly gathered) and trim latte at his Herne Bay "mid-range do-up".
We do suggest that you read the whole piece, which ends by suggesting that Grant Robertson could roll David Cunliffe right now, but that he and Jacinda Ardern will wait until after the election. Whilst Robertson's lack of action now very likely condemns Labour to a third term in opposition, you can hardly blame him.
