Labour’s fight for a third term…
August 25th, 2005…in New Zealand
In Saturday’s article we mentioned Centrebet’s market on the 17th September general election in New Zealand. Paradoxically inspired by Matthew Parris’s downgrading of the globetrotting political columnist…
It’s about the Game. It’s about jousting. It’s about personality, performance, plots, ploys and counter-ploys. With sinking heart I realise that I and my ilk are really no more than sports commentators of a rarefied sport. Adjust your settings and you can play it anywhere.
…let’s try to handicap the race.
The Labour party, led by Prime Minister Helen Clark, has led in the polls for the last few months, apart from one recent blip when Don Brash’s National party took a brief lead. Brash probably didn’t help himself after a recent debate between the leaders when he claimed to have “restrained himself” because his opponent is a woman.
But even if Labour is comfortably the largest party, piecing together a coalition government might not be straightforward. Currently, Labour and the Progressive party make up a formal coalition, with the Greens and the social conservative United Future party declining to bring the government down in key votes. The Greens are currently very close in the polls to the 5% threshold below which they would not be entitled to any seats in the list part of the election. (The electoral system uses a mixture of constituency seats and party lists; but the Greens are not in serious contention in any one constituency.)
Clark has been campaigning alongside the Green leader, Jeanette Fitzsimons, and must be hoping a few Labour supporters will vote tactically to keep the Greens in parliament. This hasn’t please United Future, however, which has promised to “slay the Green monster”. If the arithmetic works out, the Maori party might be able to prop up a Labour/Progressive/Green government even without United Future support; the polls see UF losing seats, though they are likely to remain with some representation through winning constituency seats.
Meanwhile, National would face its own problems in governing even if Labour failed to create a stable government. The ACT party, seen as its natural coalition partner on the right, is polling less than 2% and looking at being wiped out of Parliament – like the Greens with Labour, it wants to see National tacitly backing tactical voting.
Seen as the wildcard is the third-largest party, New Zealand First. Its leader, Winston Peters, is seen as a maverick with whom neither of the major parties really wants a deal. If NZ First is ruled out, getting to a parliamentary majority doesn’t look easy for either side.
The odds from Centrebet on which party will supply the next Prime Minister are 0.33/1 Labour, 2/1 National; a solid move to Labour since we last covered this market, during which time a NZ$20,000 (£7,800) bet went on Labour. Betfair’s market has picked up liquidity and has 0.41/1 Labour, 2.15/1 National.
With this level of uncertainty about the result, the shift in the odds towards Labour may have been an overshoot. But it’s a tough call. Maybe our settings need a bit more adjustment.
Philip Grant
Guest editor
Mike Smithson is on holiday until 5th September.
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If you had a bet with Mike Smithson that you could write an article that would attract no comments, you’ve just lost it
Damn you
I’m relying on stodge (who’s mentioned NZ on other threads) to comment, at least.
Helen Clark!
That was the other comment I was relying on…
Must say I don’t know much about NZ politics (looks like i’m not alone
), but I do know they have zero farm subsidies and my local Waitrose can sell NZ lamb and apples for less than many local and EU producers despite fat subsidies. A lesson there for the EU? The CAP is looking more and more unsustainable these days.
4. I’m becoming predictable.
I was trying to avoid to post it not to confuse Tabman when he’ll read all the posts tonight
6 - that reminds me of a joke, Andrea: How do you confuse a [insert minority here]? Put him in a round room and ask him to sit in the corner.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/08/25/nbra25.xml
Poor Mandelson is having problems with bras.
Yesterday night, Mandelson’s house:
Mandelson: I’m back
Reinaldo: have you had a good day at work?
Mandelson: No, I have some problems with bras. Do you know what a “bra” is?
Reinaldo: No, probably something old fashioned associated with the tories.
Mandelson: maybe, but I think it’s something used by women. I’m not an expert in this field.
Reinaldo: Ask Carla Powell! Look, Blair in a swimwear at the news!
Mandelson: I’m looking…
Reinaldo: Don’t touch yourself when you look at Blair!
Sorry Tabman, I’m already hear your complaints. Now I’ll calm down. Pardon me, please!
You know I’m beginning to miss the genteel uplifting intercourse of Vote 2005…
Despite BV’s best endeavours, we seem to have gone tabloid big-time.
Welcome back John, did you have an enjoyable holiday?
Phil, Many thanks. Yes… two weeks climbing every mountain, fording every stream, following every by-way, and imbibing every tincture.
BTW, Not a lot of people know that Julie Andrews lived at the house adjoining the end of my garden.
11 John O. Are the two paragraphs of your post linked. I have this rather wonderful vision of you in a nuns habit traversing the hills and wailing “the hills are alive to the sound …… of Michael Howard speeches”
Jack - you must be almost ready for lunch. What are you trying to sell these Beebsters? “The 20th Century History of the Jacobites - They Haven’t Gone Away?”
Judging by how quickly off topic we’ve got today, in comparison with yesterday, I’m guessing that not many people know very much about Kiwi politics. (Me included!)
I’ll try and instigate discussion by asking a couple of questions…
What have the Greens done to go from 7% of the vote last time to be in danger of not getting 5%? (when in general around the world there is more of an interest in climate change, environmental issues etc)
Where in the political spectrum is New Zealand First? - the name would suggest a nationalist party of some bent, but I could be completely wrong.
O/T - How much longer before the first English wicket falls? 27/0 at the moment
8 - Andrea, we Liberals never judge!
9 - Mr O’Reilly, sweet mary mother of God! Where did you sojourn?
13 - Phil, how can someone who is permanently out to lunch tell if he’s lunching or not?
14 - As far as I can tell, NZ First is essentially a populist party: nationalistic leanings, but not straightforwardly right-wing (e.g. the party favours an increase in the minimum wage).
14 - as long as the rain falls sometime over the next four days …
13 book value. I’m out to lunch:lol: ….. from about 11.30am ….. I may be away some time …. so sanity may be reclaimed for a few hours. I’m trying to flog to the Beeb a wonderful new reality show -”Jacobite Big Brother” - detailing the relationship between Charles Edward Stuart and his younger brother Henry . Every day viewers vote out another Hanovarian baddy to be executed on Tower Hill and the last nasty whig standing gets a free pardon and a one way ticket into exile in Hanover for 250 years . It’ll be a knockout !
Will you be having the Charles Stuart Rolls with your meal?
20 Tabman. Eating at a lunchtime meal ??????? What strange beings you Liberal Democrat are !!
No Jack, some of us have jobs where lunchtime bibulousness is a sackable offence! But being “self employed” as you are you’d have to be schizophrenic to want to sack yourself.
I can picture the scene.
21 Tabman. Yes but I always end up re-hiring myself, but only after I put a suitable single malt compensation package together. It’s a wonderful life !
23 It’s a wonderful life ! Is that James Stuart or Jimmy Stewart?
And I hope you’re wearing spats. No gentleman should be without them - ask Alastair, he’s famous for his spats.
24 Tabman. James Edward Francis Stuart , James III and VIII will do nicely …….. my chauffeur beckons . REDEAT
Well, I hope you bring back some Corporation gossip to go with your Coropration Pop. And did you miss an ‘m’ out of your last wor>
Re: 2 - apologies for not joining in sooner. Philip has set out the current situation pretty well. Helen Clark and Don Brash had their first televised debate three days ago - the transcript is here:
http://images.tvnz.co.nz/tvnz_images/news/election_2005/leaders_debate.html
By most accounts, Clark did pretty well while Brash, who isn’t the best media performer, struggled. As Philip says, both main parties have recovered significantly since the 1999 and 2002 elections when there was a much greater fragmentation of the vote. Labour leads by bwetween 4-8% depending on the poll (Labour polling in range 41-45, National steady at 37).
The Greens have crawled back above the 5% threshhold while NZ First are around 7%. Although the 5% threshhold applies for Party votes, individuals can still win constituencies so the Progressive leader, Jim Anderson, will probably win in Dunedin even if the rest of his Party is wiped out. The Greens need to be above 5% to get any MPs.
The arithmetic still favours Labour and if the Greens get into Parliament, Clark should be able to cobble together a coalition with Labour, Greens, Jim Anderson, perhaps a couple of Maoris etc (Brash has pledged to end separate Maori representation). National has many fewer options - in practice only NZ First and it’s fair to say that Brash is as unwilling to consider a coalition with Winston Peters as Helen Clark would be.
That said, so much will depend on the arithmetic. If the Greens fail to get into Parliament, Labour will be in trouble but most people in New Zealand believe a National/NZ First Coalition would only survive a few months at best.
9. John O, you tories are always so serious!
but ok, we could talk about serious things: a tory meltdown!
John O, what are your thoughts on Ken Clarke’s recent statements about the euro?
This place is beginning to look like that weekly chat forum skit in The Independent. With Book Value as Chris2 and Tabman as Capitalistpiglet.
Sorry it’s the Guardian isn’t it - I switch between the two.
So I should press on in the hopeless cause of attempting to discuss current events?
33. I’ll help you in this difficult effort limiting my posts (they don’t seem to be very appreciated in those days. Guess why!
) and for the great relief of John O, they’re will be more limited starting from October.
Phil - good question. I guess it’ll go down well in the RCA! There was also a good cartoon to that effect in either today’s or yesterday’s Indy.
Ashes update: rain in Nottingham.
Fear not Tabman, it rained in Leicester for about half an hour at most, I assume it is the same system moving your way, it is now sunny in Leicester.
Chris, in my selfish way (Monday tickets) I was hoping it might last a bit longer!
On the topic of the article (!), IIRC NZ changed from a FPTP to a PR system. Does anyone know (i) what type of PR they use and (ii) what impact it has had on party vote shares, seats, and even existence (splits/mergers)? This might give food for thought to Liberals and those who advise them “beware of what you wich for”.
Tabman, selfish thoughts of Monday play must be put aside in the hope of Australia getting ‘a damn good thrashing’ asap!
Actually, I can now hear thunder, or maybe a heavy lorry?
Chris, OK, I’ll settle for a lead of 550, a day’s rain to moisten the pitch nicely for a bit of swing and seam, and then forcing them to follow on with a lunchtime finish on Monday
Getting dark now!
Heavy rain!!!!!!
39 - I … hear thunder or, apropos of the song to the tune of Frere Jacques, “Idy bunda” as my 22month old son says
Where in Leicester are you? I used to work on Humberstone Gate.
37 - quick answer is that they use the AMS like Germany, Scotland and Wales. It has spawned a few small parties but the “big two” are still clearly dominant. I don’t know the full history though.
35. Tabman, sunny and hot here!
Damn, I can’t resist not to post. I should disintoxicate myself.
Tonight there’ll be the selections of Labour,SNP and Libdem candidates for the Livingston by-election.
I’m working near Queens Road in Clarendon Park
37. The Electoral Reform Society has a briefing paper on the NZ MMP system here: http://www.electoral-reform.org.uk/publications/briefings/newzealand.PDF
Mega thunder and lighting now!!!
48. Is it so bad? Hopefully not like what happened in Brimingham last month?
OF course, one of the interesting things about NZ is that it can a give us a fair example of what we might be facing in a gew years time if we did switch (Jenkins’ “AV top-up” would work on the same basic AMS principles, with the system tilted a little more in favour of a one-party majority).
45 - Andrea, as my Northern compatriots might say, “Give over!”.
46 - I don’t really know that side of town, but its not too far from Welford Road (boo hiss) is it?
47 - thatnks Lorcan, a fascinating read. Some interesting lessons were we ever to go down that road. And also some good counter examples to the “you never get what you vote for/deals in smoke-filled rooms/no way of turfing out the government/permanent coalition” anti-PR lobby.
48 Sun in Nottingham; play due to resume 2pm.
49 - Andrea, given you’ve managed to master our arcane politics, I now set you the challenge of of explaining the LBW rule. Should be a doddle! Besides, as Jack’s away lunching with the Beeb you haven’t got any picture searching to do.
50. I don’t think many would have changed of UK would have adopted New Zealand’s system.
There would have been Greens and UKIP MPs.
Best tune in to TMS then
51.”Andrea, as my Northern compatriots might say, “Give over!”.”
Tabman, my dear, should I take it as an insult, an restrictive order or what? Ans especially what is it referred to?
re LBW have you got as far as whether the ball has pitched outside the line of off stump yet?
55. I thought “give over” meant “stop to do something” and I wasn’t sure if you wanted me to stop to tell it’s sunny here or to stop to post here.
Sadly, I couldn’t understand how people could find cricket interesting, but if you wants I could disccuss the advantages and weaknesses of various electoral systems (and so then no one could say that I go off topic or that I sound like a tabloid!)
56
I think you’re right, Andrea. Fancy, being put right by a non-native on a matter of dialect! Still, you can read this to get a feel for cricket’s unique vocabulary.
Its raining again …
57. In the last couple of days, we’re not understading each other very well!
Now I’ll try to study a bit of cricket (maybe I should try to play it in my garden).
To be honest I’m missing Rik, Andrea. Now I know what American generals felt like in 1989.
58 - Showers and so back soon - or is it settling in? Just had a bet with my Irish colleague that England will only draw or lose this test, not that I think it’ll happen - but an emotional hedge - means that I’m happy either way!
60- Me too!
I can’t see them resuming until after tea at the earliest now, it looks reasonably set for a while.
60 - but you probably miss him for different reasons to me Andrea
64. Why are you missing him? A torrid affair I missed while on holiday?!
65 - behave! No, I’m missing the sparring. No-one else offers up such juicy full tosses, waiting to be dispatched to the boundary for six.
Jack’s been a long time - his lunch must have have been very liquid, although I’m surprised the BBC canteen staff get such a long break
66. “I’m missing the sparring. No-one else offers up such juicy full tosses, waiting to be dispatched to the boundary for six”
So that’s why yesterday you wanted to argue with me about taking the thread off topic (and it was the only day I managed to stay on topic)!
I’m a sensible guy, I’ve almost thought I offended you in some way and I was a bit concerned.
Jack is probably plotting with Sean Connery to conquer England.
57 - it sort of means “stop it” in an affectionate way, while really meaning “carry on”. Though this is giving me all sorts of pictures…
BV @30. Initial reaction was, ‘Great, now I can return to the Cuddly One’, but more (im)mature reflection reached the sad conclusion, ‘this still ain’t going to work’. I’m almost grateful to be disenfranchised…
69-”I’m almost grateful to be disenfranchised”
Have you left the tory party?
70 - I think John just meant that the members won’t have more than an advisory vote for the new leader (providing the constitutional amendment is approved).
71. oh, thanks. It would have sound a bit strange.
OT: I looking at the Register of Members’Interests and I spotted this entry:
ARBUTHNOT, Rt. Hon. James (North East Hampshire)
5. Gifts, benefits and hospitality (UK)
The Cayo Foundation have made a donation of £8,000 to nine charities of my choice as sponsorship for my growing a beard. (Registered 8 January 2004)
Growing a beard? Is it normal to receive money to grow a beard? I would be willing to do so!
As a frequent visitor to Venezuela, I wonder how it would be if oil was in the $20-30 range?
The place is shocking, Chavez though authoritarian does not really seem to be in the Gualg mode (at least till now). Most Venezuelans think of him more as an unfunny clownesque character.
Maybe Gott forgot to mention that cronyism of the right has been replaced by cronyism of the left:
-Chavez’s son is governor of a state
-cheap dollars (at the official rate) are only available where the local government is pro-Chavez. Otherwise, a premium of 20-30% needs to be paid
-there are foreign exchange controls, probably why ATMs don’t normally work for foreign cards
-I think Chavez is genuinely popular though his recall referendum win was exagerated
However, Latin America often produces short term popular populist leaders. Invariably when the day of reckoning comes they are ejected in disgrace. Think Peron in Argetnina, Garcia in Peru, Bucaram and ohers in Ecuador. Even CA Perez in Venezuela. Chavez will join them, maybe even before his preferred (and announced) departure date of 2020.
73: A relative of the President in Venezuala is the governor of a state? Egad! Not something that happens in advanced democracies like, say, the USA :-). That said, Gott has always been a romantic about charismatic revolutionary figures, and I wouldn’t rely on his judgment. A left-wing acquaintance who has lived there has very mixed feelings about Chavez - his heart is probably in the right place, and his opponents include some unpleasant reactionaries, but he doesn’t inspire confidence either on the democratic or the economic front.
Peter - any view on Brazil and Lula? Hearing lots of noise about the congressional hearings and his popularity decreasing, but not sure how much is noise and how much is genuine before the elections next year.
Whoops!! Wrong thread!
75. I think that according to the last polls he would lose against José Serra (mayor for São Paulo).
Lula was a big disappointment IMO. He (ans his party)promised to change the system, but at the end he was, like the others, part of that corrupt system.
75-Not keyed up on Brazil, but there is the suggestion that Lula is playing up Menezes to distract attention from the hearings. Remember, about 15 years ago Collor de Melo was thrown out of office for a similar scandal.
74-I think Chavez prefers to play the clown than to do any serious damage to the market orientated Venezuelan economy. Some fo his supporters are a steange bunch, from hard left to right. As is, the opposition!
Working in the oil sector, there seems to have been no real change in policy. My US company still sells heavily to PDVSA the state owned oil concern.
77 - Disappointment to whom? Thought that whilst being leftish and personally popular he was reputed to be doing a pretty job economically.
79. I was only stating my opinion about him, not the opinion of Brazilian people.
78 - Sorry, don’t remember Brazilian politics of 15 years ago (I was still at Primary school!)
80 - Fair enough - thought you might have some insider knowledge I wasn’t aware of
As for being less corrupt, yes a disappointment to me too, but probably a ‘lesser of 2 evils’ arguement that could still be made for him. These emerging market countries will never be able to move away from corruption instantly, but rather gradually over time, in conjunction with other appropriate economic and political policies. But hey, just my twopenneth!
81.”thought you might have some insider knowledge I wasn’t aware of ”
oh, no, no insider knowledge here. Only newspapers articles
“These emerging market countries will never be able to move away from corruption instantly, but rather gradually over time, in conjunction with other appropriate economic and political policies”
yes, but they start to act about all this corruption. If not, the situation will never improve.
82 - I’d agree with that I guess, as thinking about it all countries are corrupt or prone to corruption (US, UK, Italy…) - the defining factor is how it is dealt with.
Anyway, am going home now, so will have to leave you in the hands of Jack if he ever gets back from his lunch!
82.”they start to act ”
If I leave out parts of my posts, it would difficult for people to understand them!
It should be “they have to start”
83.”I’d agree with that I guess, as thinking about it all countries are corrupt or prone to corruption (US, UK, Italy…) ”
In Italy we basically didn’t deal with it and then look at what happened.
“Anyway, am going home now, so will have to leave you in the hands of Jack if he ever gets back from his lunch”
I’ll try to resist his temptetions!
BV @71. Yes, thanks, correct - I haven’t drummed myself out of the blue meanies quite yet! At our next constituency Executive Council in a couple of weeks time, our esteemed Member, Ian Taylor (for it is he) will doubtless regale the assembled multitude on his felicitous consumation with DD of the SS.
85. Sorry for the mis-interpretation.
Are you pro or against leaving the members without the final vote over the leader?
How is Ian Taylor as MP?
Well I’m safely back (background cheers :lol:) and I’m totally classicaled . It must have been that Liberal Democrat sandwich I ate , all puff and wind on the outside and no substance beneath the surface. I knew I shouldn’t eat on an empty stomach.
You’ll all be glad to hear that Mrs Jack W will be able to live in the style to which she’s accustomed . God bless Auntie !! Nuala will be pleased
…. and Andrea you’ve behaved … you are a disappointment to me !! BTW why will you be less active from October … university studies ?
87. “Andrea you’ve behaved … you are a disappointment to me!!
BTW why will you be less active from October … university studies ? ”
yes, sadly, I would have to go to university during the day. I still don’t know the schedule, but probably I won’t have lessons every day.
I remember that I had to go to listen a lesson the morning after the Election Night. I slept something like 2 hours and the next day I almost felt asleep during the lesson (and we were about 10 people, so someone would have noticed it!).
If someone is interested, here a list of New Zealand constituencies, what party is holding them and the margin over the second.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0207/S00205.htm
[88] Blimey, they have Labour MPs with double-barrelled names in New Zealand too!
89. I think they’ve only David Henry BENSON-POPE.
How many MPs with double-barrelled names British Labour has?
Bob Marshall-Andrews, Claire Curtis-Thomas, and then who?
OT Andrea. Catching up on my reading and I came across a piece in “The Independent” about the level of bugging in Italy . It appears that over the past 10 years 30 million Italians have been bugged at the cost to the Italian government of £820M !!!! … You have been a naughty boy
http://news.independent.co.uk/europe/article307991.ece
91. It’s a common practice here to bug phones. It could be very useful in some trials.
92 Andrea. Yes , but 30 Million !?!?!?!
93. ok, maybe they’re a bit (or more than a bit) over-used.
Don’t come here for the holidays, they could bug your telephone and then report everything to St. Tony from Sedgefield.
87 - Jack what a low-rent way to earn a living, how the mighty have fallen on hard times. You wouldn’t catch me deaing with Broadcasters!
But Tabman, if they came knocking for “West Bridgford Council: the Inside Story of a local election campaign”, or “Confessions of an Accountant” - would you still refuse to dirty your hands?
Phil, naturally I have no plans to …. but if my country needs me …
BREAKING NEWS . Labour have chosen Jim Devine , Robin Cook’s election agent, to fight the Livinstone by election .
Devine or Divine?
You’ve heard of Two-Jags, well here’s Two Dogs!
98. Thanks for the news, Jack W. SNP and Libdems are selecting tonight too.
99. Linking Divine to the New Zaeland elections, I think that NZ is the only country to have a transe*ual MP.
98 . Livingston !! not Livinstone . Looked at it 3 times and still didn’t notice . Just as well it didn’t happen at lunchtime with figures ! or Mrs Jack W would be shopping at Oxfam and meeting Tabman in the Ladies clothes department ! Nice frock ….
101 - I thought Divine was a drag artiste.
101 Andrea . Lib Dems have gone for Dundas .
100 Tabman. Are you sure that’s only 2 dogs , woof woof !
102. No, Jack. Mr Devine has been selected to fight “Red Ken”, not the Scottish seat.
Do you know if the vote was closed (with Mr Dunn in second place, I suppose) or not?
102 - Jack, if I wanted a tryst with your wife (which I don’t) rest assured it wouldn’t be in Oxfam.
103. I think you’re right, but it was my best effort to link your post with the thread.
107 - ah, mid-80s Hi N-r-G … happy times.
108. Tabman, my dear, you couldn’t use all those strange words (Hi N-r-G ) and predending I will understand! I’ve my limits too!
106 Tabman. So you meet other peoples wives in Oxfam !
105 Andrea. Sorry don’t know the numbers on Livingston. BTW the SNP are now not selecting until Friday night or possibly Saturday afternoon.
110. Why has the SNP delaied the selection?
tomorrow something will probably emerge concerning the vote (if it was close or not).
I see Andy Murray has won through to final round of qualifying for the US Open Tennis . Another Scot carrying British sporting hopes
112. You don’t have many sport champions if you get exiceted by a win on the second round of the US Open’s qualification!
Libdem’s candidate is Charles Dundas. he stood last may too.
Jim Devine’s photo: http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/40729000/jpg/_40729698_jimdevinepa203.jpg
111 Andrea. It might be tactical - to see who the opposition choose or more likely the Lib Dems hired the phone box first for their selection meeting.
113 Andrea. Yes but he beat an Italian to get there !! - Paolo Lorenzi 6.3 6.2 . And Scotland are the World Deep Fat Frying Mars Bar Champions.
115. Some early news reports said that the SNP would have selected on Friday, while others said on Thursday. So it wasn’t very clear when they would have selected anyway.
They’ve a 2 candidate shortlist. A female local councillor who stood in last may GE and a former labourite (who defected because of Iraq) who stood in a neighbor seat last may.
116. Never heard of Lorenzi, but I saw that a couple of Italians went through the final round too(Bracciali who plaied a good Wimbledon and an another one).
I’m happy for your Scot. Is he the young one who lost against Nalbandian in Wimbledon after almost having already won the match?
118 Andrea. That’s right , he’s 18 and has the talent to be a top ten player . However he needs to improve his fitness and conditioning over the coming months. He’s recently won two challenger tournaments across the pond and these hard courts are his favoured surface. Hopefully he’ll qualify for the main draw and get through a couple of rounds - as long as he doesn’t play Federer or Roddick in the first round !
book value, if your bet with Mike Smithson was that you could write the article with the highest ever proportion of O/T comments, I think you’re going to collect!
Evening all. Not been on all day. Looks like I’ve missed some interesting discussions.
120. He could have done better with a thread about the election of the new Chinese Communist Party leader
Lingston Labour Selection: Mr Devine got 72 votes. John Duncan (a former Cook’s aide) got 32 votes, Willi Dunn (a disappointing result considering that newspapers presented him as a strong contender) got 12 votes, John McGinty got 6 votes and Hanzala Malik got 0 votes.
I have a genealogical question for you guys what origin is the surname Elliott? I think it’s scottish but was wondering if it could be irish, welsh, or english.
Thanks
Bear
College Station, Tx
Back on topic, and the latest poll news from New Zealand:
http://www.tvnz.co.nz/view/page/576182/606857
Some evidence, albeit fairly anecdotal at this stage, that National’s tax cutting policy has attracted some support but that’s often the case with new dramatic announcements. It will be interesting to see how Labour counterattacks as it undoubtedly will.
Does anyone know how ACT are doing in the NZ elections?
125 - below 2% in the polls; they are trying to get a helping hand from National.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/index.cfm?c_id=1500891&ObjectID=10342196
Can I subscribe to this blogs feed? Carl in New York