What a surprise – Winston decides to get another MP

The media are like Charlie Brown, when it comes to Winston Peters. No matter how many times Lucy grabs the ball away, they always give him the benefit of the doubt.

The Herald yesterday reported:

NZ First leader Winston Peters says NZ First may decide not to bring an extra MP into Parliament after his Northland byelection win because his party supports a smaller Parliament.

Mr Peters’ 4,000 vote win last night allows him to resign his list position, opening the way for someone else on NZ First’s list to enter Parliament.

Mr Peters said the party would “seriously consider” not taking on the extra MP.

“It may be we decide that we are for a much smaller Parliament, that we won’t take this option and that we will try and demonstrate that Parliament should be, as the Robertson petition said, no more than 100 people.”

Note the use of quote marks, which means a direct quote.

Then this morning in Stuff:

Northland’s new MP Winston Peters has confirmed he will resign from the NZ First list meaning his party will now gain an extra MP.

The change in the makeup of Parliament will make it harder for the Government to govern.

The NZ First leader, who convincingly wrested the northern stronghold from National by more than 4000 votes, told Radio NZ’s Morning Report that there was never a question that he would resign as a list MP.

“Of course I’ll resign, I don’t know why it was ever a material question,” he said.

I never had any doubt he would resign. And it is a useful reminder that you basically can’t believe anything he says.