National reopens Selwyn nominations

National announced last night that it has decided to reopen nominations for Selwyn, after complaints of pressure on some candidates not to stand.

This is not a common occurrence.  I don’t think I can recall another selection where this has happened.

I know absolutely nothing about the details, beyond what I have read in the newspaper.   But what I can say is what my personal view is.

I think every seat not currently held by National should have an active selection contest.  Yes it can be challenging for managing parliamentary relationships, but overall the party gains members and supporters when we have contested selections for seats National does not hold.

Another reason I support contested selections, is that on current polling National could gain 55 – 60 MPs.  And with a policy that all but a maximum of five list candidates must also be electorate candidates, it means that even candidates in the most safe Labour seats have a significant chance of becoming MPs through the list.  And a healthy selection process can help ensure that National doesn’t end up with “dud” MPs as happened in 1990.

National of course also has a history of selection battles for sitting electorate MPs – John Key, Judith Collins and John Carter all won their seats by challenging for the nomination against an incumbent electorate MP.  And National is far better off for having had them do so.

The issue of List MPs is a bit different.  A List MP doesn’t hold a seat, even though they may have stood for it last time or be associated with it.  There isn’t the same stigma to stand against a List MP for a seat, as there is to actually challenge an Electorate MP.  For example Annabel Young faced a contested selection for Wellington Central despite being an existing List MP.

So National has a good healthy history of contested selections, and it is good to see the same will happen in Selwyn – safe seats especially should have a vigorous contest.