Goff says Goff was wrong

I blogged yesterday on the huge inconsistencies between the statements of Phil Goff, Leader of the Opposition (PGLOTO) on Richard Worth and Phil Goff, Labour Party Leader (PGLPL) on Darren Hughes.

Reconciling the two stances seems to have proved impossible, so yesterday afternoon PGLPL came out and said that PGLOTO was wrong. In fact PGLPL said that PGLOTO didn’t understand how complicated these things are!

Andrea Vance at Stuff reports:

Yesterday, as criticism of his management of the latest scandal grew, he admitted he had mishandled the Worth affair: “I think I’ve learnt one or two things about the complexity of these situations. I am going to be the first to admit that I was wrong in the judgment that I made at that time.”

That’s quite the mea culpa.

I’m somewhat staggered that neither Goff, nor anyone else in Labour, thought to check back about what Goff said in 2009 on Worth. Instead he went on radio saying:

Earlier, talking to Newstalk ZB’s Sean Plunkett, Mr Goff said: “When a complaint was laid with the police against Richard Worth, I made no comment. No comment at all.”

Either Goff is not getting advice, or he is not taking it.

The Herald editorial is very critical:

Darren Hughes, one of Labour’s most promising MPs, has been ill-served by his party’s leadership. When he stood down yesterday as Labour’s education spokesman and chief whip, it served only to underline the folly of Phil Goff’s mishandling of the incident.

Indeed.