By all accounts he was perfectly reasonable during his stint as Minister of Foreign Affairs. Nearly charmed the pants off Condi during his visit to the White House.Ah Winston, a guy I absolutely think serves a place in parliament and one I become increasingly nervous about at the thought he may actually get proper power.
Maybe, though that's assuming that National haven't had this planned for some time now. Could be that everyone's agreed that it'll be English until after the election. Though the suddenness of this makes it seem highly possible that this has caught the party on the hop too.Good.
The crowd of cretins and half-wits that have stood behind him will presumably spend the next fortnight knifing each other. Really opens up the election. Andrew Little isn't exactly Mr. Charisma, but he'll positively shine compared to some of the National candidates.
Great news for Winston Peters too, you'd think.
I really hope so. I've never been convinced by Little and struggle to see him winning an election. Jacinda Ardern, on the other hand, is impressive.And then there's the possibility that some of the senior hopefuls in the Labour camp who may have been bidding their time with Key in charge will suddenly make a play for the leadership.
Thought the David's and Little have all been disasters really.I really hope so. I've never been convinced by Little and struggle to see him winning an election. Jacinda Ardern, on the other hand, is impressive.
It all happened too soon for Shearer. I think he'd be much better now. But it went so badly for him the first time around that I don't think he'd want or get a second shot at it.Thought the David's and Little have all been disasters really.
Yeah I like Shearer as a bloke but he died a death when given the ball.It all happened too soon for Shearer. I think he'd be much better now. But it went so badly for him the first time around that I don't think he'd want or get a second shot at it.
It's easy to forget that a lot of the reason that NZ performed so well economically during the GFC is that Michael Cullen left the National government with a really tightly run, low deficit budget. In fact, English has pretty much been steady as she goes in overall economic management (notwithstanding asset sell-offs and election year lolly scrambles).Don't feel like I've ever quite had a handle on Key, seeing as his time as PM more-or-less coincides with me being out of the country and only back sporadically. General impression is that he's been fairly centrist, though typically to the advantage of National's usual constituency, that he puts on a good show of competency and is respected internationally, and that relative to much of the world he's provided comparably great stability.
Yeah National has had a lot of leeway to both reduce taxes and avoid the kind of public spending cuts that have proved so damaging to the UK economy. The Clarke government probably left New Zealand as well placed as any country in the world to weather the financial storm.It's easy to forget that a lot of the reason that NZ performed so well economically during the GFC is that Michael Cullen left the National government with a really tightly run, low deficit budget. In fact, English has pretty much been steady as she goes in overall economic management (notwithstanding asset sell-offs and election year lolly scrambles).
Pretty much.What does everyone think of Key's potential successors? English seems to be the far the likeliest, and IMO he's the most tolerable option in an otherwise thoroughly detestable bunch.