From the blogs:

 NeilM at Dim-Post @ 10:15 pm

I foolishly supported Shearer over Cunliffe because I thought that Shearer was the nicer person.

But watching Shearer let the mutts out to attack Cunliffe reminds me that it’s because of the mutts I dislike Labour.

Scott Yorke at Imperator Fish:

Why I’m Out

I’ve reached the point where I really can’t be bothered fighting for a Labour government any more. I don’t really know what the party stands for, and there is an immense amount of crap going on behind the scenes. It’s coming to the fore and it looks ugly.

Chris Trotter at Bowalley Rd:

Meltdown: Labour’s Caucus Rivalries Turn Toxic

Pete Sime
8 August 2012 at 9:53 pm

This has made me so angry.

Over the next couple of days I intend to launch a website with an online petition which Labour members can sign to call on David Shearer to resign as leader of the party due to his ineffective leadership. Perhaps we can embarrass him into doing the right thing.

The vacancy and subsequent leadership contest would allow us to exercise our new voting rights. I don’t know how big the membership is, so I have no idea what a good proportion would be, but 1,000 sounds like a good initial goal.

In the meantime, Labour members can sign the petition here. I’ve included a requirement for people to give membership ID number, which is hidden public view.

You’ll note that I’ve chosen to reveal my surname. I’m not going to sail under false colours.

ad
9 August 2012 at 8:05 am

Dear Mr Shearer,

I invite you to a tour fo the heartland. Not the pastoral base you’re travelling through now. But here, The Standard.

According to all rankings, this site is the Leader of the Digital Opposition. We are the crowded town hall that in analogue space now rarely exists.

We are the proving ground for a Labour-Green coalition by 2014. Nowhere else does what we are doing.

Over the past 48 hours your caucus has shown itself to be out of control, with attacks from within on Louisa Wall and David Cunliffe.

Please explain how you will demonstrate the leadership that forms a united Labour caucus.

Please explain how you will set things right with these MPs.

At the moment it looks like you have neither the will nor the power to lead a united caucus. At the moment you do not appear capable of unifying us. Show us your leadership.

Your leadership is being questioned on this site because normally such egregious behaviour by your MPs would have been dealt with swiftly and surely.

Without your action in this matter Labour activist discontent will focus on the constitutional review and make for a deeply destabilised November Labour annual conference. This conference will of course evaluate everything you have done to date.

The futre of the activist base of a Labour-Green coalition could be formed here on this site, by your participation. Or, by your sustained absence, broken. Trust me, it’s breaking already.

Failure to apepar in front of New Zealand’s progressive activist base, as Leader of the Opposition, means of course we will all get to describe you in a single word.

No-one wants this.

Sincerely.

Socialist Paddy
9 August 2012 at 8:13 am

I agree Ad.

I hear there are some in Labour’s caucus who despise the Standard. This hate is obviously motivated by fear.

When a simple post can attract over 380 comments and outpourings of disgust you know something is up.

Shearer needs to man up and demote the person responsible.

And the MPs should show some guts and come over and debate matters.

 Anne
9 August 2012 at 10:16 am

Now we have been betrayed by a handful (and I suspect that is all it is) of cowboy/girl traitors inside the caucus who have deliberately lit the fuse again. And there was one reason and one reason alone… personal, political ambition!

If no action is taken against the perpetrators I predict that eventually many members will resign – and they will be the local activists who keep the Party alive and well.