Even Battle Between The Davids: Williams

Wellington – There is a very even battle underway for leadership of the Labour Party, former party president Mike Williams said today.

Speaking on the iPredict 2011 programme broadcast on Stratos television, Williams said the fight between David Cunliffe and David Parker was very close.

The iPredict market agrees, with stocks on David Cunliffe to be next Labour leader and David Parker to be next Labour Party leader very even.

Labour Party Leader Phil Goff is to meet with his MPs tomorrow and is widely expected to say he will stand down, though it has not been said when this will take effect.

Williams said both Parker and Cunliffe could appeal to mid-New Zealanders who have been backing National.

To emphasise that Labour MPs were split on the succession, Williams pointed out votes were very rare in in the Labour caucus and there had been just one in the last year.

It was over who should be the Labour MPs representative on the party list moderation committee and this had been a dead heat between Parker and Cunliffe.

David Shearer could be a wild card and could be a deputy candidate, but had not been around long enough, Williams said.

Also on the show was National MP Simon Bridges discussing National’s performance and mandate, as well the Conservative Party.

iPredict’s chief executive Matt Burgess also discussed the reasons behind iPredict’s success in accurately forecasting the election result.

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