Meet your new Deputy PM?

The Herald reports:

Labour deputy leader Kelvin Davis’ rhyming speech last night did not go down well, with Kiwis online describing it as “despicable”, “ungracious” and “disgusting”.

Speaking at the Labour election headquarters, minutes before Jacinda Ardern took the stage, Davis recited a confusing, nursery-rhyme type speech, hailing “whaea Jacinda” and slamming defeated National leader Judith Collins.

Whereas politicians usually try to stay gracious, in victory and in defeat, Davis – who will likely take up the role of deputy Prime Minister, chose to go down a slightly different route, by ridiculing his opponent.

It was a nasty ugly display from NZ’s Next Deputy PM.

The vast majority of people are very good on election night. The Nelson Labour HQ sang “For he’s a jolly good fellow” to Nick Smith when he turned up to concede, and Nick stayed for a few drinks.

We have a great tradition in NZ that losing candidates go to the HQs of the winning candidate, concede in person and congratulate them. And the winning candidate normally praises the losing candidate. It’s a great piece of civility that we should retain.

What you don’t do is mock and ridicule those who lose on prime time TV on election night. But that’s what Labour Deputy Leader decided to do.