Anderton isn't upset Bill English has taken Progressive line

Progressive Party leader, Jim Anderton, says he isn't at all upset that Bill English has adopted the progressive party's line that the United States government has been unfair and unreasonable in its trade and foreign policy dealings with New Zealand.

"I read in today's Dominion Post that Bill English thinks that the U.S. government has been a bit unfair in its trade and foreign policy dealings with New Zealand when you consider this country's very proud and very long record of standing side by side with America in justified overseas wars and in the campaign against fascist terrorism," Jim Anderton said.

"I've been asked if I am upset that Bill English has now adopted the line I outlined back in May and for which I was attacked by the right wing Opposition parties.

"For the record, I am not in the least bit upset and in fact I am proud that the National Party has come to its senses at last," Jim Anderton said.

"Bill English has at last shown himself to be proud to be a New Zealander, he has taken his first tentative steps to publicly rebuke the ACT Party and its absurd position which is to parrot whatever idea comes out of the latest government in the United States without any critical analysis.

"That type of rigid ACT Party approach to foreign policy making, had it been adopted, would have seen young New Zealanders sent to a war in Iraq earlier this year where their lives would have been endangered in a military action never sanctioned by the United Nations Security Council," Jim Anderton said.

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