There’s been much soul searching from the left on Labour’s problems – they are like two camps with one tent, ripping the bloody thing to shreds.

This comment from ‘Sanctuary’ hammers the pegs:

The lack of belief in any form of socialist ideology, the back stabbing of change agents, the rewarding of mediocrity that was the 2011 Labour Party list, the tin ear to public opinion, the failure to develop bold and imaginative policy, the lack of interest in doing their job from the Labour front bench – all of it is much better explained by realising that a cabal of self-serving MPs have used the party machinery and the peculiarities of electoral system to very effectively hijack the parliamentary wing of the party.

The Labour caucus is now operated as a sheltered workshop for the benefit of a clique of institutionalised career politicians.

In other words, the parliamentary Labour party is run by and for the benefit of a bunch of self-entitled and lazy bastards who have worked out that as long they retain control of the list selection process by pandering to the correct factions and a minimum of effort is put into making the right noises they can rely on the Labour rump vote of around a quarter of voters to ensure they have a job for life under MMP.

It actually doesn’t matter to the likes of Trevor Mallard if Labour isn’t in government. What matters to Trevor Mallard is he keeps a high place on the list to go BMX riding on taxpayer-funded time. Any anyone who threatens his entitlement to a soft job with a nice office and all the perks that allow him to pursue his hobby he will try with all his might to hobble.

Eloquent despair. A bit harsh perhaps, but an increasingly common level of sentiment and frustration. And anger.