2 May 2002

National On Its Knees Before Backroom Party Officials

Alliance parliamentary leader Jim Anderton is warning of government instability and un-elected back-room party officials running the country if National ever again forms a Government.

He says no other conclusion can be drawn from comments that National has made since Alliance MPs announced they will not stand under the Alliance banner at the next election.

“The National Party hasn’t raised a single question about the behaviour of individuals who made it impossible for Alliance MPs to remain with the Alliance. That means that they endorse the behaviour of the Alliance Council.

“There hasn’t been a peep from National about the behaviour of the Alliance Council and the threat its actions posed to a very popular and progressive government.

“National has so little commitment to the stability of any government that it believes the government should fall just because unaccountable back-room officials run amok.

”National apparently believes party leaders should lamely and irresponsibly bring into parliament candidates in whom they have no confidence.

“National Party MPs are now so terrified of their own party president that they believe party bosses outside of parliament should run the country.

“National has a recipe for poor government, weak leadership and the more theatrical its attacks become, the more it will emphasise its own potential subjugation to unaccountable back-room party officials,” Jim Anderton said.

Ends

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