Superb news from New Zealand where John Key's National Party has ousted Labour's Helen Clark after nine years as Prime Minister. She had led a government discredited by scandal and mismanagement. The excellent Kiwiblog has all the details.
It's been a long way back for the National Party, which has had a very chequered history since the long premiership of Sir Robert Muldoon. Since the mid 1980s the Labour Party in New Zealand has made all the political weather. It became the first left of centre party to embrace privatisation under the charismatic Finance Minister Roger Douglas - the creator of so-called 'Rogernomics'.
Many British Conservatives will be looking down under to see how John Key does and learn the lessons from his victory. At least, I hope they will be!
16 comments:
Excellent. This reinforces the view that what people in most countries want is to replace tired old regimes - of whatever political hue - with new governments that can really be the change we need.
Superb news indeed. NZ Labour recently pushed through laws without bi-partisan support that were intended to chill the effect of citizens participating in political advocacy. If they had won this election then the next step would have been state funding of political parties - themselves of course being a prime beneficiary. This is because they have lost the ability to get their supporters to put their own money where their mouth is so would have voted to take it from the already strained taxpayer. I can't tell you how happy and relieved I am at this result. Well done kiwis.
Meanwhile, slightly closer to home, in a place called Glenrothes...
ROFLO Its telling that the Tories have to look to the other side of the world for a good news story, in a week where you lost your deposit in a UK byelection and a left of centre candidate with similar values of social justice to our very own Labour Party was elected to the Whitehouse, the people are starting to see through shalllow `call me Dave` and the rest of the nasty Tory party
Just another good reason to emigrate to New Zealand!
Lost deposit in Glenrothes Iain ... a bloody nose for Conservatives in the USA ... and worst of all bye bye bye Bad Bunny.
simon said...you forgot to finish your contribution:-Meanwhile, slightly closer to home, in a place called Glenrothes...Which is a place dominated by Council housing, and those not employed by the state are on benefits (look at the statistics!).
People were concerned that they would lose all if they voted for the socialist SNP so they returned a liberal schoolmaster in New Labour Clothing as their MP.
The Conservatives and indeed the Lib Dems did not and would not have figured in this result in a month of Wednesday's. So one can make no comparison whatsover to any other election.
However I predict the SNP will win this seat in the General Election Brown will lose his deposit and the Liberal Democrats under the supreme leadership of Nick Clegg will amaze the world with their General Election win knocking the Tories under the non leadership of Cameron into another term as opposition.
The problem with the Tories in New Zealand is that the Country is a very LIBERAL country and they will have to be very careful not to upset the population or else they will be a one term government.
Interesting result.
Do I remember correctly the point that quite a few years ago it was NZ that had its central bank setting interest rates to achieve an inflation target. In which case the rest of the world was playing catch-up (and you might say catch-up to catch a severe cold!)
"Meanwhile, slightly closer to home, in a place called Glenrothes........."
Nothing really one way or the other can be read into the Glenrothes result.
Brown and Labour may have held on to one of their safest seats and repelled the SNP for the present but it was due to a lot of local Scottish factors.
Whether that result would transalate through into marginals in England is still too much of a gamble for Labour to think that they may win a majority next year, Personally, I'm not so sure despite all the "hype" that the "Brown Bounce" will last much beyond the New Year ......and all the time the economic news will get worser and worser than elsewhere in Europe mainly as a result of Brown catastrophic mis-management of the UK Economy during the decade he was Chancellor.
On Kiwiblog, 3-coil (457) Vote: 7 1 Says:
November 9th, 2008 at 12:26 am
At last - a return to non-corrupt leadership for New Zealand!
********
I do hope they get it. Anyone recall 1997 in the UK? It's what we hoped for then...and look what happened.
Just heard Theresa May up against Hilary Benn on the repeat of Any Questions. A woman I like and respect, but she was just as hopeless as all the other Tories: absolutely no zeal for the fight and allowed Benn to make the usual preposterous NuLab claims with only the mildest of challenges. There was almost the atmosphere of a dinner-party discussion. Don't they realise that, much as we want to, we cannot vote for a party that seems more or less to agree with NuLab? For heaven's sake, OPPOSE! ALL of you! ALL the time!
"Stu said...
ROFLO Its telling that the Tories have to look to the other side of the world for a good news story, in a week where you lost your deposit in a UK byelection and a left of centre candidate with similar values of social justice to our very own Labour Party was elected to the Whitehouse, the people are starting to see through shalllow `call me Dave` and the rest of the nasty Tory party
November 08, 2008 12:45 PM"
*********************
Whoever wrote that is a certifiable idiot, but as a philanthropist I hope fellow-humans will forgive my spending a little time educating him/her.
(1) Does NuLab never refer to events beyond these shores? Oops! You do so yourself, only six lines later! Consistency is one mark of intelligence, Sir/Madam.
(2) Lost deposit - does that really count in a hell-hole like Glenrothes, where almost everyone is on the public payroll, either directly or via Benefits? Turkeys do not vote for Christmas. Moreover, you are clearly unaware that Glenrothes is in Scotland, which is semi-detached from the UK by fiat of the appalling Bliar, and is dependent on the generosity of English taxpayers enforced by a bunch of Scots politicans in Westminster. It has its own 'parliament' (paid for tenfold by the aforementioned English), whose parochial schemes overshadowed the by-election.
(3) 'Similar values...' - how dare you insult Pres-Elect Obama in this way. Produce your evidence for the assertion that he supports a widening of the gap between rich and poor which NuLab has engineered, or withdraw.
(4) 'Whitehouse' - that is the name of a deceased campaigner for what she saw as moral standards. I do not think that Sen Obama has been elected to her (were that possible). You may have in mind the building at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, Washington, DC, commonly known as the White House.
(5) 'The people are starting to see through...' - as gauged by the chronic Tory lead in ALL the polls, you mean?
In summary, if that is the best that NuLab can do by way of crowing, it confirms that the discredited re-recruits, Campbell and Mandelson, are not the men they were. Hurrah for that. The sole danger to the Tories from the next General Election lies in Campbell/Mandy dirty tricks and Tory passivity. Dave is waiting for them to lose (rather than actually campaigning) which Gordy's ghastly character will ensure, unless the two swamp-creatures can save him. And on the showing of this pathetic post, they aren't up to the job.
Its very interesting in New Zealand. That probably sounds a contradiction in terms, but it is.
In terms of recent politics, Helen Clark's Labour Government is like New Labour in the Southern Hemisphere- having been in ten years, and the Nationals loosing three elections in row John Key was a young, energetic leader who realised that the party had to change its image. Cameron and Key are close political soul mates, and when/if DC ever becomes the Prime Minister, you'll find Key and Cameron inseparable in policy terms
"Meanwhile, slightly closer to home, in a place called Glenrothes........."
As you well know, this is meaningless.
The ONLY serious option as a government to the shower currently in power is the Conservatives and they had no chance of winning Glenrothes.
The acid test would be an English constituency, preferably 'up north'.
Try Crewe and Nantwich.
@ruth kelly's plaything,
If you could possibly spare your valuable time I would like to make a few points related to my previous post and your reply.
(1) "Lost deposit - does that really count in a hell-hole like Glenrothes"
Nicely put, have you ever been to Glenrothes by any chance? Have you even stepped foot outside your ivory tower? Again more proof that the Tories are as nasty as ever and have no interest in looking after anyone other than their own.
(2) "'Similar values...' - how dare you insult Pres-Elect Obama in this way. Produce your evidence for the assertion that he supports a widening of the gap between rich and poor which NuLab has engineered, or withdraw."
I am sure that President Elect Obama sees himself more aligned with the Labour Party than a right wing Tory Party, who's only policy so far has been designed to benefit multi millionaires (inheritance tax to save you from looking back through Call Me Dave & Boy Georges multiple changes in position on just about everything), additionally what have the Tories ever done to help the poor apart from making more people poor and poor people poorer?
(3) " 'Whitehouse' - that is the name of a deceased campaigner for what she saw as moral standards. I do not think that Sen Obama has been elected to her (were that possible). You may have in mind the building at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, Washington, DC, commonly known as the White House"
Ok I give you that one, but in my defence my post was typed on a mobile phone with a touch screen, so I would hope you could find it in your heart to forgive my little mistake, typo's are so easy on these pesky devices.
(4) "In summary, if that is the best that NuLab can do by way of crowing, it confirms that the discredited re-recruits, Campbell and Mandelson, are not the men they were. Hurrah for that. The sole danger to the Tories from the next General Election lies in Campbell/Mandy dirty tricks and Tory passivity. Dave is waiting for them to lose (rather than actually campaigning) which Gordy's ghastly character will ensure, unless the two swamp-creatures can save him. And on the showing of this pathetic post, they aren't up to the job."
Ok I have to admit I am confused here, though I am a proud member of the Labour Party, nowhere in my post have I even hinted that the words are anyones other than my own, or that I am employed by Mr Campbell or Lord Mandelson, in fact I don't even know the gentlemen in question, neither do I know Mr Draper, just put your mind at rest.
(5) "Whoever wrote that is a certifiable idiot, but as a philanthropist I hope fellow-humans will forgive my spending a little time educating him/her."
your a pompous ass my friend, your a perfect illustration of why the Tory party is still very much the nasty party full of oafs like your good self.
Finally I would like to thank you for you education on what the Tory Party is really like, I do hope you don't mind me sharing your musings so I can educate others, being the philanthropist I am.
P.S For your reply, him or Sir will do as I am sure that any numpty would realise that the name Stu is in fact a male name.
Its the tax cuts wot won it!
The NZ Green Party also gained two seats (perhaps three seats, once "special votes" are counted) to become the third-largest party in the country.
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