Cunliffe v Mallard

The Herald reports:

Labour’s caucus meeting today will be the first MP Trevor Mallard has attended since he was demoted by new leader David Cunliffe – and Mr Mallard said fears he will go rogue are unfounded, but nor will he disappear in 2014 and he still hopes to be made the Speaker if Labour wins the next election.

He still wanted to be Speaker and and Mr Cunliffe was open to that. “Absolutely. There’s no problem in that area.”

Really? Cunliffe is open to that? Luckily the Herald didn’t take Trevor’s word for it but asked Cunliffe:

Mr Cunliffe said he had not told Mr Mallard he could still be Speaker under a future Labour Government.

Doesn’t sound good for Trevor.

“No decisions have been made about that, but I’m well aware of his strong interest in it.” Asked if it was a sign he expected Mr Mallard to step down in 2014, he said he was not yet going through the process of holding retirement conversations with MPs.

The key words are “Not yet”

My expectation is that if Labour wins, they will put Annette King up to be Speaker.