24 October 1999

For immediate release

Labour pulls a u-turn to cut Coromandel deal

Labour's unexpected decision to cut a deal with the Greens in Coromandel shows the polls are taking a toll on the party's confidence.

"After making it perfectly clear that Labour wasn't going to stand aside in Coromandel, Helen Clark has been panicked into changing her mind by Labour's falling polls", said Roger Sowry, Leader of the House.

"What this means is that Ms Clark is prepared to see Sue Bradford get into Parliament on the Greens' list, where she is ranked number four."

"Labour expected to sleepwalk into Government, and now they've discovered they're in trouble, all sorts of odd deals are being made. The deals that Helen Clark said they would never do".

Mr Sowry said instead of painting itself into a corner where it's forced into political flip-flops, Labour should come clean on the other deals it's been secretly negotiating, "to pay-back the unions and to pacify the Alliance".

ENDS

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