Gerry Brownlee MP
National Party Shadow Leader of the House

20 May 2008

Warfare breaks out in Labour ranks

The National Party’s Shadow Leader of the House, Gerry Brownlee, says the announcement from Phil Goff about the Government’s re-election chances and his leadership aspirations “is a sign warfare is breaking out within Labour.”

Mr Brownlee is referring to comments made by Phil Goff in an interview on Alt TV, due to be screened tonight.

In the interview, Mr Goff says that in the event of an election loss, ‘if I felt that I was the best one [candidate] in that position and that Helen had stood aside voluntarily’ he would offer himself up to be leader. He’s also reported to have said ‘sure there’s a prospect of defeat’, and of his career as a Minister ‘that’s been a very long sentence, that one’.

“Mr Goff has been in Parliament a quarter of a century. He knows what he is doing and what the smoke signals mean.

“In Opposition, Mr Goff made no secret of his ambition to be leader of the Labour Party. He should be congratulated for being up front and honest with the public about where he sees the party heading into the future.

“Win or lose at the next election, Labour’s leadership will be under increasing pressure from within.”

ENDS

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