Whale goes independent

Whale’s site is down, but the Herald reports:

WhaleOil blogger Cameron Slater has quit the National Party after his campaign to remove incumbent party president Peter Goodfellow failed.

Mr Slater wrote yesterday, after the party’s annual conference concluded, that he was no longer affiliated to the National Party.

“After a day of insults, threats, opprobrium and malice, and after a vote which saw dullness, mediocrity and sloth rewarded, the National Party can no longer enjoy my full support,” Mr Slater said. “Make no mistake, I no longer belong to any party. I will never again be banned for speaking the truth. I will stand up for honesty and truth in politics and I will tell the story, not some spin-muppet.”

I’m not sure this will necessarily mean a big change in Whale’s style.  Even as a member, Whale happily harpooned Ministers and MPs when he thought they were wrong. His attacks on Nick Smith and the ETS were not exactly restrained, shall we say, by his party membership.

I don’t always agree with what Whale says, but I know he has always said what he believes in, and this is why he is such an effective blogger – he doesn’t hold back.