Clark in Full Retreat

Helen Clark - who assured the press gallery yesterday that she had `not returned to once more be easy meat for the Opposition parties' - was in full retreat mode in Parliament today.

"The Prime Minister could not name a single person she was describing when she told the media on the eve of her European trip, "what everyone's looking at is whether there is going to be a Franco/German/Russia linkup with good links to the Chinese against what we have which looks like a small Anglo-American group". Then she told parliament that this was only a question and presumably she doesn't believe it either.

"What Clark couldn't explain is why she asked the question, if nobody believes it.

"What is correct is that Helen Clark's performance couldn't be described as `easy meat' - it was more like soft marshmallow," Mr Prebble said.

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