Ever the maverick, Peters sets his criticisms to music
Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters gives media a response like no other yesterday, before heading into the House for Question Time.
Laughing as he spoke, Mr Peters told the media to ‘‘listen up’’ as he put his phone up to the microphones to play Burning
Bridges, by the Mike Curb Congregation, the theme song to the 1970 movie Kelly’s Heroes.
Between the chuckles, he announced ‘‘here comes the punchline’’ as the chorus played.
Later, Mr Peters labelled Mr Bridges’ response to JamiLee Ross’ accusations of corruption ‘‘pathetic’’.
Mr Peters said Mr Bridges’ reply to Mr Ross’ accusations ‘‘wasn’t a response — it was pathetic’’.
‘‘Have you ever seen somebody who has no qualities of leadership — so much so that he needed half of his front bench around him to [demonstrate] to you that he’s a leader?’’
Mr Bridges was flanked by National MPs Amy Adams, Mark Mitchell, Judith Collins and deputy leader Paula Bennett during his media conference.
‘‘He has never led anything,’’ Mr Peters said, of Mr Bridges.
‘‘He has never run a private business of his own. He has never been in charge of a fund to the extent that he will understand something about capitalism.’’
Mr Bridges studied law at Oxford and practised as a Crown prosecutor before being elected an MP.