Little stays keen to lead party
Labour Party leader Andrew Little is rejecting criticism he looks to have all but given up, despite admitting he contemplated falling on his sword in the wake of a disastrous poll result.
Labour has plummeted to its worst result in more than 20 years in the latest 1 News-colmar Brunton poll. With his party sitting at 24 per cent, Little has found himself in a precarious position, with questions hanging not just over his leadership, but whether he would make it back into Parliament on those numbers.
Eight weeks out from the general election, Little said resigning as leader was briefly on the table as an option, which his colleagues did not accept.
Little also revealed that in a planning meeting with senior MPS and members of the party, it was decided he would be open about floating his resignation.
But he maintains he still wants the job.
‘‘Yes I do, I’m absolutely determined to do that. What I said to some senior colleagues last week is: given that result, an option that had to be considered is whether I continue in that role,’’ he said.
‘‘It’s the honourable thing, given that result. But I have no less conviction in my determination to fight hard in this election, because of what’s at stake for so many New Zealanders right now.
‘‘I wouldn’t be doing my duty as leader to the party and acting in the best interests of the party, not to flag that with them.’’
Little would not be drawn on whether anyone else in his caucus wanted the job, or whether it was offered to anyone else.
Deputy leader Jacinda Ardern holds popularity with a large swathe of voters and despite not leading a party, still registered 6 per cent in the 1 News-colmar Brunton Poll as preferred prime minister - level with Little.
Little admitted that, with the party sitting at 24 per cent, it was not credible to form a Government and become prime minister, even though technically it could be done.
‘‘It would certainly be my preference, in terms of forming a Government, to have both the Greens and NZ First in that Government.
‘‘But at 24, you don’t get to form a Government, that’s just the reality. And part of the reality is that NZ First is very clear that regardless of the numbers, they could go anywhere.’’
Little would not name a number where it would be credible to form a Government, but said it would be ‘‘considerably higher’’ than 24.
He said Metiria Turei’s calculated admission of benefit fraud – which helped the Greens soar to 15 per cent – had consequences for Labour.
‘‘We’ve had a very good relationship with the Greens, both before the [memorandum of understanding to work together] and since. We’ve certainly stepped up the relationship building and strengthening aspects of it.
‘‘I have to say, the last couple of weeks, we’ve seen the Greens take up an issue in a way that I don’t think is necessarily helping to grow a Centre-left block.
‘‘We’ve had a debate about Metiria Turei’s experience on a benefit, and I understand what she’s trying to do to draw attention to real and genuine hardship that a lot of people experience.’’
But two weeks on, the debate had not shifted away from Turei’s fraud and on to benefit reform, and Little suggested she had missed the mark, while starving Labour of oxygen for its own policies.
Prime Minister Bill English told TVNZ’S Breakfast yesterday he could see why Little was feeling the pressure.
National had remained steady on 47 per cent in the poll – untouched by the poorly-handled Todd Barclay affair. But English still preached caution, saying ‘‘on that poll, we could lose the election’’.