Ardern: Life and soul of the party
Labour now has a dilemma: how to make the most of Auckland-based MP with wide appeal. A shakeup might be coming, and soon.
Well, no surprises there.
It was a stonking win in the Labour stronghold of Mt Albert, for the party’s candidate Jacinda Ardern.
She was never going to lose In a two-horse race, where even some key Greens members were voicing the expectation Ardern would pull a vote ratio of 9:1 over their candidate Julie Anne Genter.
Realistically, the margin was never going to be quite that big - Mt Albert is one of the Greens’ strongestperforming electorates when the party vote is in the mix - but Ardern had it in the bag.
It now means Labour now has to ask itself some questions.
Firstly, what to do with her? Ardern is Labour’s biggest asset in Auckland, and successive leaders have kept her just out of the throne room for some years now.
But that will only last so long, such is the pull of the spotlight.
Ardern has taken the utmost care to never say she wants the top job, or even the deputy position, but no politician has ever sat four seats away from the top of the table and not taken count.
Conversely, it’s understood King has been none too subtle about her views that Ardern is not up to her job.
But rather than simply looking at sheer force of personality, let’s look at the practicalities. Labour’s leadership team boasts two political veterans, both highly capable but both Wellington-based and at the election, both will be standing as list candidates.
There will be no Auckland representation in their leadership team, or even their top three, with finance spokesman Grant Robertson the MP for Wellington Central.
The geography should not be underestimated. And neither should the opinions of nearly every nonpolitical guest at a backyard barbecue who says ‘‘I don’t follow politics too much, but I really like that Jacinda Ardern lady’’.
It’s been commented on widely that a convincing win by Ardern and a respectable turnout, might prompt Labour leader Andrew Little to consider the makeup of his team, and strike in the week after.
With National changing their lineup and the Prime Minister just two months ago, an election-year refresh for Labour would be well justified.
Ardern will take heart from her performance yesterday; she’s a shining star who won’t be eclipsed by others in their twilight.
She’ll allow herself today to enjoy it, but tomorrow, it’s straight back to the grindstone for re-election in September.
The other danger Labour has, is a tendency to crow about a good ‘‘ground game’’, and expect National to be scared at that.
Labour has always done well in byelections - with a mobilised and enthused ground-force, ready to knock on doors in the thousands. It’s easy for them in confined space.
At Ardern’s election night camp last night, I saw a room full of happy faces, granted. But minutes after Little arrived, he stood in a huddle with MP Phil Twyford and Ardern in the centre of the room.
Ardern quickly peeled off and continued working the room, while the odd person came up and talked to Little. He eventually did the same, but it’s clear he’s not the natural Ardern is, and former Prime Minister John Key was without trying.
The coordination of a good ground game will not translate to a nationwide setting without some serious inspiration.
The kind that comes from someone people like, even if they can’t quite put their finger on why.