Fighting on the left
Vernon Small writes:
The Greens have lodged a formal complaint with Labour over outspoken MP Shane Jones’ attacks on the party.
They’ve complained because an MP from another party criticised them? Who is being thin skinned now?
It comes as the Northland-based list MP faced a ticking off from leader David Cunliffe this morning over his anti-Green comments as well as for straying into other MPs’ areas of responsibility.
It is understood the Green’s chief of staff Ken Spagnolo invoked the official mechanism for airing disputes with Labour’s new chief of staff Matt McCarten and it will be on the agenda of the next top level meeting between the two allies.
Good to see them focusing on the big issues. Again, imagine how they’ll be going running a Government!
Green co-leader Russel Norman said he imagined the matter would be dealt with at chief of staff level.
But he said Labour was obviously had some “internal issues” to deal with.
Just a few!
”There’s clearly some people like Shane Jones within Labour who are uncomfortable about protecting the environment and embracing our clean energy future. but … the Greens know what we are doing and why we’re here.”
Wait, isn’t this a personal attack on Shane Jones? Maybe Jones should complain also through their dispute process!
Meanwhile NewstalkZB report:
Labour leader David Cunliffe says the Greens won’t necessarily be the first cab off the rank if he’s in a position to form a Government after the election.
The translation is he’ll sacrifice them for Winston if Winston asks for it. Poor Greens – 18 years in Parliament and no baubles for them.
There was another oops in David Cunliffe’s life earlier this morning when he referred to his possible coalition partner New Zealand First as ‘Winston First’.
“Winston’s a good guy but I’m not doing coalition negotiations before the vote and we will work with whatever cards the voters put on the table. That may indeed quite likely will be with the Greens, it may well be with Winston First.”
I’m very pleased to see the official Kiwiblog term for New Zealand First catching on!!