Hone did a Gordon Copeland

Oh how embarassing.

The House just had the second reading of the Marine and Coastal Area Bill (which it passed). Labour gave one of their spots to Hone Harawira so he could rail against it on the grounds it doesn’t give Maori title to the entire foreshore & seabed.

Then they had the vote – and Hone didn’t vote. So the issue on which he effectively left the Maori Party, he failed to vote on.

This has happened before. Gordon Copeland left United Future over the anti-smacking law. And then he forgot to vote on the actual bill and become a political laughing stock.

Hone is finding out the hard way there is more to being an MP than just mouthing off. Sometimes you need to actually do shit such as vote.

I understand at least one member of the press gallery joked this morning how hilarious it would be if Hone did a Copeland and forgot to vote. From reports, the entire gallery almost hit the floor in laughter.