Quote of the day:
If Labour cannot run itself, it must be assumed it cannot run the country. ODT
The ODT is not alone in this opinion. John Armstrong writes:
. . . Regardless, the new rules have been symptomatic of an increasingly toxic relationship between the bulk of the caucus and factions within the wider party. . .
In Parliament, with the outgoing leader on leave, his deputy consumed with getting the top job and the rest of the caucus viewing the race with trepidation, Labour drifts leaderless and rudderless for two weeks. Labour is the Mary Celeste of Parliament.
Labour’s new rules make it even less stable than it was.
On top of that the party has failed to learn from the mistakes National made after its 1999 election loss and the necessary changes it made after the 2002 defeat.
Losing parties have to get rid of the dead wood.
They also have to demonstrate they are able to run themselves properly with unity in and between the caucus and wider membership if they’re to convince voters they’re fit to run the country.