The Colin Craig Conservative coup

Stuff reports:

Conservative Party board members are reportedly planning to roll leader Colin Craig, with at least three asking Sensible Sentencing Trust (SST) chief executive Garth McVicar to take the job in the past week, it’s understood. 

It’s been speculated Craig will be walking into a coup when the board meets tomorrow, with members growing increasingly annoyed at the reputation Craig was imprinting on the party.

It is definitely on. I’ve had that confirmed from Conservative sources.

He also said he would not have done an interview in a sauna, similar to the one Craig recently appeared in on TV3’s Newsworthy. 

“I didn’t see that, [board members] sent me a link to see what was going on, but it’s not something I would do. I’ll just leave it at that.” 

I actually thought the sauna interview was a positive. It showed Craig could take the mickey, and it makes it hard for opponents of the Conservatives to portray him as homophobic when he is showering with David Farrier after a sauna 🙂

So it would be a pity if some light hearted television is the reason for this. I think issues around Rachel McGregor’s resignation are a factor.

Waikato businessman Laurence Day said he would continue to donate to the party as long as it stood for binding referendums.

“I don’t really know what’s going down at the board meeting. I’m still a great believer in the cause of the party, which is binding referendums.

“As far as I’m concerned the party is bigger than any person.” 

“I’d still support the party, because I support the cause.” He said he would “consider his options” over whether he would try to make up for some of the funding the party would lose if Craig left.

Day gave $1.35 million to them last year. In the past it was unthinkable they could have a leader other than Craig, as he funded them entirely. But now they have other funding sources.