Just when I was sitting at my desk, scratching my head and wondering what to write about, up pops Chris Hipkins to tell us that he has the ‘full support’ of his caucus.
Bless.
Chris Hipkins believes he has the backing of the Labour Party caucus as he prepares to jet off to the United Kingdom, just as a new poll lands showing his personal favourability is plummeting.
It comes after the latest Taxpayer Union-Curia Poll showed that while Labour was up 0.8 points to 26.7% – still well below National on 39% and around the 26.9% Labour got at last year’s election – Hipkins’ own popularity has taken a drubbing.
In the Preferred Prime Minister poll, Hipkins has fallen 6.1 points to 12.6%. In comparison, National’s Christopher Luxon fell 1.8 points to 32.7%.
Hipkins’ net favourability has seen an even steeper drop. It fell 16 points to -10%, while Luxon’s rose 1 point to +7%. Just 31% of the poll’s respondents said they had a positive view of the Labour leader, compared to 41% for Luxon, while 41% said they had an unfavourable view of Hipkins, compared to 34% for Luxon.
Asked about the results, Hipkins said he had had a “lower profile” this year following Labour’s defeat at the 2023 election, which also saw him lose his role as Prime Minister.
We knew that the first 18 months of being in Opposition was going to be the most difficult to keep our profile up and to keep our numbers up. We’re not polling below where we were polling on election day.”
Hipkins said it was just one poll and more negative than others. He said he had the “full support” of his caucus.
“Overall, our goal is to build our support up as we head towards the next election. We will keep working away at it. It shows we have got work to do.”
NZ Herald
I can hear his press secretary now... ‘Chris, got a message from a bloke called Darryl Kerrigan... he says... Tell him he's dreaming.’
Click to view
Chris Hipkins is utterly delusional. Most Kiwi voters see him as the ugly face of the Ardern regime, the guy who presided over multiple debacles in Health, Education, Police and Covid.
He has the opposite of the Midas Touch. Everything he touches turns to poo. If they made a movie about him it would be called Poofinger.
The polling by Curia took place after Hipkins participated in a number of high-profile interviews where he was questioned about Labour’s approach to tax. He has been open about the party debating the merits of the likes of a capital gains tax and a wealth tax.
But Hipkins said, as “someone who does follow polling”, that “events in the last week bear no resemblance to what happens in polls”.
“It’s a long game we play here in politics... I’d love to be more popular, but at the end of the day I want to win the next election.”
What? My God, but the man is stupid. What he is saying is that he thinks that he should have higher numbers because everyone HE talks to loves higher taxes.
The opposite is, of course true, but bless this little commie ginger: he really believes everyone will rise up and vote for higher taxes because...uhmmm...well... just because.
It looks like Labour is back to underpants stealing for a plan to recover their electoral relevance.
What is more likely to happen is Te Pāti Māori making a raid on their Māori caucus and the hard left splitting and either going to the Greens, or to a new political party that Martyn Bradbury is desperately trying to get off the ground (Oh I know!), will pillage their support and leave them a hollow shell.
But claiming his caucus backs him is fanciful. Hell, he can't even try to threaten them to support him. Anyone who he tried that with would just laugh in his face.
Cam Slater is a New Zealand-based blogger, best known for his role in Dirty Politics and publishing the Whale Oil Beef Hooked blog, which operated from 2005 until it closed in 2019. Cam blogs regularly on the GoodOil - where this article was sourced.
5 comments:
I think the author is being pretty optimistic. Hipkins & Labour still managed to get above 25pct of the vote when the appalling effects of their Covid policy, particularly the mandates & the destruction of democracy & economy, were still fresh.
Those idiots should have completely obliterated.
By the time the next election rolls round, this will all be forgotten & everything will be National’s fault.
That is, unless, National & the Coalition actually start drawing firm lines in the sand & make aggressive policy changes. So far, we’ve only seen tinkering which isn’t going to cut it.
I wish Hipkins every success in his job hunt overseas - his absence can only be to the benefit of all New Zealand. The problem is, is two-tier Keir really that stupid?
I wish him luck on his trip and fervently hope that he loses the return part ... go on Govt, only give him a one-way ticket, I dare you! Trouble is that I would not wish that on the UK any more than I wish him on NZ. How about a side trip to visit Putin, he'd feel right at home and see first hand what his ideology could lead to.
With Chippie heading offshore, it's a good change there might be a coup and a new Labour leader found.
But who you ask, there isn't anyone in their current lineup fit for office.
To Ray S: one comment referred to Barbara Edmunds as a possible candidate ( Polynesian, tax lawyer, mother of 8) with Arena Williams ( young Maori lawyer) as the deputy. Attractive profiles for voters who support Identity politics.
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