Labour and Rangitata

Back in December David Cunliffe declared:

Labour leader David Cunliffe believes the party can win the Rangitata electorate in 2014.

He said draft boundary changes, which give parts of Rakaia to Selwyn, mean the seat is “anybody’s game”. In the last election Labour polled well in Timaru but National was stronger in the Ashburton district.

Mr Cunliffe, in South Canterbury to rouse the party faithful in Temuka, believes Labour can win Ashburton this time.

“Geraldine’s coming back in, we’ll have Point, we’ll have Temuka; I think we can win this seat.”

Labour’s win of Christchurch East showed what was possible in the next election. Membership of the Labour Party had nearly doubled this year. On December 1 membership was up 85 per on January 1.

“I’ve never seen anything like it. We are up 50 per cent since the leadership race started three or four months ago. People know Labour’s on the rise.”

So the Labour Party Leader thinks they can win Rangitata, even if humble outsiders like me are sceptical.

So how many Labour Party members have come forward to be the candidate for this seat which their Leader has declared they can win.

Well Matthew Littlewood reports at Stuff:

The Labour Party is still without a candidate for the Rangitata electorate for this year’s general election.

A party spokesman said it had extended the deadline for another month after it did not receive any applications before the February 28 cut-off date.

They couldn’t find a single party member who believed the Leader’s claim it was winnable.