Selling out?

Both Peter Dunne and Ken Shirley are accusing the Greens of "selling out" over their decision to support Labour at the next election even if the GE moratorium is lifted. Dunne sees this as the Greens "selling out their bottom line", and buying themselves a new one. He's wrong.

The Greens have always multiple, competing principles. In addition to their strong beliefs about genetic modification, they have equally strong beliefs about social justice. It's quite clear that once the GE moratorium is lifted, noone is going to reimpose it - the best the Greens would be able to get would be a vote, which they would lose to a combination of the other parties. And so it all comes down to the social justice angle - and it's quite clear that Labour better serves that interest than National.

Far from "selling out", the Greens are sticking to their principles. They're simply being realistic about what is achievable and what is not.