There are some aspects of Labour’s very quick leadership change that raise a few questions.
It appears that as far as Andrew Little went he was genuinely undecided about what to do on Sunday when the Colmar poll went public and Little went public in response, making a major mistake for a leader when he questioned whether he should remain. Who advised him to go public with doubts?
On Monday Little seemed to swing back to being determined to stay on, but I think he was out of Wellington.
However on Monday evening it was reported that he was going, and it was specifically stated that Labour sources had Jacinda Ardern set up to take over, with Kelvin Davis as deputy.
When Little returned to Wellington on Tuesday morning he was asked at the Wellington airport what he would do, and he told a reporter he would not step down.
But at 10am he fronted up to media and said he was quitting. That was followed by a Labour caucus meeting where he nominated Ardern as leader, and Grant Robertson nominated Davis as deputy. Both were unopposed so got the top jobs.
Soon afterwards, at noon Ardern fronted up to media seeming remarkably well poised and prepared considering she officially only knew she would be leader about an hour earlier. She read from speech notes or a written speech.
Afterwards Davis claimed that it was all a sudden surprise, but there are doubts about that. It would be remarkable for someone to make such a big decision that would dramatically effect their and their family’s lives in an hour or two with little or no chance to discuss with family.
Stuff: Labour’s Kelvin Davis is ready for the spotlight
Kelvin Davis says he had no idea that he’d have a new job just 24 hours ago, but you get the feeling he’s been getting ready for a while.
He was nominated by finance spokesman and former deputy Grant Robertson, and was elected unopposed.
But while texts were swirling discussing the possible pairing of Davis and Ardern on Monday night, he is adamant he had no idea he would be in this role until the morning.
“24 hours ago I was in a totally different frame of mind, and not expecting to be the sitting where I am now – but that’s the nature of politics,” Davis said.
Davis was in Northland and planning to stay on, but his assistant booked him flights down to Wellington late last night.
He woke up at 4am, had “the quickest shower of my life” and drove to KeriKeri airport to fly down.
Davis said he managed to talk to his wife about the decision to be deputy leader before making the call – and she said “go ahead”.
He said “he had no idea he would be in this role until the morning” but that is contradicted by “his assistant booked him flights down to Wellington late last night”.
He may well have been uncertain whether Little would step down on Tuesday, but he must have considered the possibility well prior, and must have been involved in discussions on Monday, otherwise he wouldn’t have been named as deputy in advance.
Ardern has obviously been groomed and preparing for a leadership role for some time. She stood as Robertson’s deputy in 2014 when they lost to Little.
Normally Labour have a very involved leadership selection process that has taken about a month, being decided by a vote split between Caucus (40%), party members (40%) and affiliated unions (20%). Little beat Robertson by just over 1%, but with scant support from Labour’s caucus.
There is an exception to this process – within three months of a general election the caucus alone can decide on a leadership change.
Given that it is now less than two months until the election and time is critical – Labour’s billboards and pamphlets have all been printed and there is not much time to reprint and re-plan their election strategy – I don’t think the exact timing was planned.
But it looks suspiciously like alternative leadership had already been well canvassed and planned, should the opportunity arrive to shove Little aside.
It looks like Labour’s caucus, or at least some of it, had at least deliberately been prepared to overrule the decision of members and unions.
Lynn Prentice at The Standard posted Ok, I’m pissed off with the Labour caucus again. Time to switch
To say that I’m pissed off about whatever happened and deeply suspicious about the action of the caucus, would be an understatement. The vote in 2013 [it was November 2014] by the whole of the Labour party as a group to install Andrew Little was quite clear. He wasn’t exactly my choice of a best candidate, but he was the best candidate to cut across the whole party and their supporters. Especially bearing in mind the damage that the faction fighting inside the caucus had done since Helen Clark stood down after the 2008 election.
I neither have time or the inclination to dig around to see the machinations that caused this to happen in the 3 month window when caucus alone can elect the leader of the parliamentary party. But I am deeply suspicious about the timing and abrupt nature that it isn’t a coincidental move. It looks to me like a deliberate roll via whisper campaign and a general lack of support in a caucus. I’ve had rumors of a move by the conservatives and ambitious in the caucus to do this for a while.
Anne commented:
I’m with lprent on this one. We’ve both been around the Labour Party a long time and observed the machinations inside the Labour hierachy, and their parliamentary equivalents, from the inside looking out, and from the outside looking in. We’ve got form when it comes to understanding the nature of their respective ‘modus operandi’ and its not always a pretty sight. I could go on to detail what I mean but frankly can’t be bothered.
I, too, was hopeful that the elevation of Little would put an end to the factionalism and he certainly has held them in check. However, its now starting to look like the leading parliamentary lights have taken advantage of the current situation and (I suspect) exacted their revenge on the membership and affiliated unions for daring to go against their wishes in the leadership election 2 years ago [closer to 3 years ago]. Unfortunately, the weaker members of caucus appear to have not stood up to them and have been rolled into line.
The truth will emerge one day.
No matter how they were put in these positions Ardern is now leader, and Davis is deputy. The campaign will roll on.
But it appears that the story about how they got there is being spun somewhat.
It will now be interesting to see what Ardern and Labour do about policies.
Policies are theoretically put forward and debated and decided by all of the party, involving party members.
Labour’s current policies have been developed and decided over the past two and a half years.
Ardern could put different emphasis on policies that are already in place or in the pipeline.
But if she makes policy changes, as some people are urging (the Corbynisation of NZ Labour has been suggested by left wing activists) that would be another usurping of party processes by a caucus cabal.
If Labour do well in the election then this may not matter – power placates the party plebs.
But if Labour end up in opposition again for a fourth term the caucus could fragment and the party may want to take out their annoyance on someone.
Some of the affiliated unions may not be very pleased either. Recent donations:
Maritime Union of New Zealand – $40,500 received on 19 July 2017
E tu Union – $120,000 received on 20 June 2017
They have lost the leader they voted for.
D’Esterre at The Standard:
It certainly looks like that. I’m very angry at Little’s ouster and I’m done with Labour.
It infuriates me that I made a donation to the party the day before Little was forced out. Now Andrew Kirton is claiming a flood of extra donations over the last couple of days as an indication of public support for the change of leadership. It bloody is not, in my case at any rate! If I could get that money back, I would.
Last night, I got the begging e-mail from Jacinda Ardern. Would I be getting my cheque-book (to coin a phrase) out? somebody asked me. Not. A. Chance.
One thing seems likely – that while the timing may have been opportunistic quite a bit of planning had already taken place by some in Labour’s caucus. Ardern and Davis must have considered the options well in advance, they were too ready to jump in not to have been.
If that’s the case then some people aren’t being straight with the public. That’s a risky thing to do during an election campaign – especially if not everyone in Labour is happy.
Adam:
This is a coup d’etat, pure and simple.
An authoritarian one at that.
So much for democracy for the members of the labour party. This is quite an awful affair. But good news for us who have been saying all along labour is a liberal party representing the interests of the liberal class, by using the words of the suffering and pain to trick people.
Trick me once, shame on me. Trick me twice, shame on you. Keep on trying to trick us – well for that we have the labour party.
If the election goes well or ok for Labour most may be forgiven. If not Labour could be at risk of further turmoil. Politics can be a high risk game.
