Tuesday, February 07, 2017



Labour doesn't need more bigots

What is up with Labour? First there was their backing of former Police Association spokesperson and jackbooted fascist Greg O'Connor, and now over the weekend Andrew Little has lent his support and promised a high list placing to serial rape apologist and homophobic bigot Willie Jackson. Little says he was "aware of the risk" of backing someone so at odds with Labour's values, but I'm not sure that he is. There's the obvious damage to Labour's brand of course, and to its support among women (who may be less willing to vote for a party which openly promotes this sort of scumbag). But Young Labour is also angry. And they're the people who actually do the work on Labour's election campaign and make intense ground campaigns like Mount Roskill and Mount Albert possible.

To point out the obvious, if Labour insists on making Jackson a candidate, all those Young Labour volunteers could simply withdraw their labour, or apply it elsewhere to candidates and parties more in line with their values. And IMHO they should do so if the party isn't interested in what they think.

As for Little, if the Jackson decision is an example of his leadership, then Labour needs a new leader. It is that simple. Someone with such poor judgement is not suitable to be a party leader, let alone Prime Minister.