Labour MPs

Trevor Mallard blogged on 15 August 2009:

The fact that they weren’t sent to prison because they are Maori just doesn’t seem right to me.

Nanaia Mahuta blogged on 18 August 2009:

To criticise the sentence on a matter of race is ridiculous

I don’t think Trevor was being ridiculous, as Nanaia labels him.

In fact I sometimes wonder if Trevor does not have a very cunning game plan. So cunning you could put a tail on it and call it a fox.

He has become the de facto Opposition Leader of the House and appears to lead their parliamentary strategy.Have a look at Parliament some time and you will see Mallard working with Hughes and the Whips to decide what to do.

He also seems to be in charge of their communications, and set up Red Alert without even telling Phil Goff about it.

He is going out of his way to mentor new MPs, and often is delegated to speak on behalf of the party on non portfolio issues.

And we now see Trevor positioning himself to appeal to non-core Labour voters with his blog on this issue.

Now maybe it is all a coincidence, but is it possible that Trevor is planning some bbqs over summer?

Trevor was widely seen as a leadership contender along with Maharey un until a couple of years ago. Suddenly within a few weeks Trevor was out of the running for punching Tau Henare, and Maharey bailed to academia. Phil Goff suddenly became the heir apparent despite never being Clark’s choice.

So is Goff there just to give Trevor time to rehabilitate himself?