It was fairly obvious Bill English’s credibility, and National Party credibility, will have taken a hit over the now long drawn out Todd Barclay issue.
This has been confirmed by a Newshub poll: Bill English’s credibility hit by Todd Barclay saga
The latest Newshub-Reid Research poll shows Prime Minister Bill English’s credibility has taken a hit over the Todd Barclay scandal.
By party:
The Newshub-Reid Research poll was conducted July 20-28. One-thousand people were surveyed – 750 by telephone and 250 by internet panel. It has a margin of error of 3.1 percent.
This isn’t surprising. I think English handled it poorly – but he was put under extreme pressure by a sustained avalanche of media coverage. It was a big learning experience for him after managing to stay out of the spotlight for years apart from when presenting the annual budgets.
A more important question though is how much this has damaged his and National’s credibility. Do people trust him less than any other politician?
I could answer yes to ‘have I lost some trust in English’, but would how much would that influence my vote this election? That’s a much more complex question that a vague poll cannot address. Neither can I at this stage, there’s going to be many things to consider before I vote.
I could also say that I have lost trust over the media handling of the the Barclay saga.
Your NZ 
Gezza
/ 8th August 2017I could also say that I have lost trust over the media handling of the the Barclay saga.
Storm in a teacup. Family tiff. All very embarrassing but that’s about it.
Pete Kane
/ 8th August 2017Bill English says texts to Todd Barclay staffer deleted
http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/election/2017/08/bill-english-says-barclay-texts-have-been-deleted.html
Difficult
artcroft
/ 8th August 2017He’s lucky the green fiasco will take the heat off today but the media and Winston will return to this next week I guess.
David
/ 8th August 2017The media are like vultures but it gets to the stage where one just avoids reading anything about the saga because they treat as the only thing happening, the truth gets lost somewhere as the story changes every day and then the moralistic opinion pieces start…every story gets done to death but the guy has quit already.
Be interesting to have a story just once where the press gallery arnt 100% on the same page but I guess that might leave the journo exposed to some unpleasantness on twitter.
duperez
/ 8th August 2017Lost trust over the media handling of the the Barclay saga? Because Mr English was put under extreme pressure by a sustained avalanche of media coverage?
Bill said, “I had nothing to do with it, I know nothing,” so there’s no story? ”
“There’s nothing there to see, no big deal, just a little employment spat,” so there’s no story?
How tedious this “now long drawn out” issue.
The cries are never-ending about shabby work from the media. Should we just accept glib assurances, accounts and stories from politicians, bankers, social agencies whoever? And a quick swish under the mat ignored?
How about it being remarkable that we need to say that we’ve lost trust in politicians instead of accepting that that is just a fair, routine view.
George Black
/ 8th August 2017We have lost our trust in the media. It’s always been fake news but now we have a name for it
Pete Kane
/ 8th August 2017Question 2 – Rt Hon Winston Peters to the Prime Minister
Does he stand by all his statements on the Todd Barclay matter; if so, how does he actually do that?
https://www.parliament.nz/en/watch-parliament/ondemand?itemId=196523
PDB
/ 8th August 2017Too easy for English to bat away today in question time – I think Winston is still fishing rather than hiding a big fish on ice.
Gezza
/ 8th August 2017Louise Upston’s whacked on a few kilos. 😮
Pete Kane
/ 8th August 2017So’s David Clarke.
Gezza
/ 8th August 2017Be a while yet before either of gives Gerry a run for his money.
PDB
/ 8th August 2017Interesting debate between Ardern and English on light rail to the airport – English finally pointing out that National’s transport plan looks to improve traffic flows across the entire Auckland region whilst Labour’s light rail plan only looks at improving things for commuters in one area of the city whilst doing nothing for Rodney, West, East, & South Auckland/Franklin. Again the East-West link that Labour want to majorly downgrade is a crucial part to reducing road congestion.
Blazer
/ 8th August 2017We will see if Winston has more to reveal on Bills 450..texts. …more implosion.
PDB
/ 8th August 2017I actually wonder now if Winston actually has them – he is now saying he wont release them but wants Bill English to do so. Can’t see how English can do that as most people clear their phones regularly.
Ray
/ 8th August 2017On the one hand we have a scandal about an MP secretly taping disloyal workers.
On the other another MP has the log of the private messages of the Ex local MP
One is bad, one is news, really!
Patzcuaro
/ 8th August 2017I imagine that Glenys Dickson has a record of texts as well. Not sure about legality of her passing to third party, isn’t she with NZ First now.
Brown
/ 8th August 2017Winston says he has a bunch of text messages between English and a certain someone else. There appears little doubt that the someone else is poisonous and English is probably compromised because doing what was sensible was sidelined in favor of a relationship. That calls his judgement into question.