March 1, 2017 10:18am by David Farrar

Panicked Labour pushes King out

Labour’s deputy leader Annette King is retiring – and has thrown her support behind Jacinda Ardern to replace her.

“After some reflection, I have decided to step down from the deputy leader’s position in the Labour Party,” she announced on Wednesday morning.

Ms King is a long-serving MP for Rongotai, and Labour’s health spokesperson. Ms King told Newshub “there has been absolutely no pressure on me to stand aside at all”.

Yeah right.

A poll comes out showing them at 26%, which would mean almost no List MPs. They have realised they can’t win with Little, so they are hoping the celebrity star factor of Ardern will give them a boost.

“I actually think that Jacinda is ready to be the deputy. Having that win in Mt Albert – having a base – being grounded in an electorate is really important. And she has worked hard, she’s stood in seats that are unwinnable, and she’s won, and she’s ready, and I think she’ll make a really good deputy.”

Stood in unwinnable seats? She’s stood in Auckland Central the last two elections, which is a historically safe seat for Labour – but has been unable to win it for Labour.

Ardern’s roles to date within Labour have been: