Carter names Mallard

NewstalkZB reports:

Independent MP Chris Carter today Identified his former Labour colleague Trevor Mallard as one of 17 MPs that opposes Phil Goff’s leadership

Chris Carter claims former Labour colleague Trevor Mallard is one of 17 MPs who oppose Phil Goff’s leadership.

Mr Carter was expelled from the Labour caucus earlier this year after publicly undermining Mr Goff.

At the time, he said he there were 17 Labour MPs who wanted to get rid of Mr Goff.

Asking a question in Parliament today, Mr Carter described Mr Mallard as his “very good friend and former colleague”, causing chaos in parliament.

He went on to say Mr Mallard was one of his 17 good friends.

Now that Carter has named one of the 17, there is little doubt he will name them all – I suspect around one a fortnight.

I am hearing that Labour are so frustrated by him, that they are seriously looking at selecting Twyford in Te Atatu, so that Carter will resign, triggering a by-election which will see Judith Tizard return on the list.

It seems that Judith has become the lesser of two evils, and if it gets Carter out of Parliament, they will have Judith back for eight months. The alternative is Carter announcing another name every fortnight up until the election.