Politics

Posts on government and governence at national and local level, political parties,politicians, and political participation

Labour is signing up to Facebook transparency tool

Written By: mickysavage
Date published: - 68 comments

Jacinda Ardern has announced that Labour will abide by Facebook Ad Library Report rules which allow voters to see where campaigning money is being spent on Facebook ads.   And that it will have its major policies independently costed.

The right is splintering on climate change

Written By: mickysavage
Date published: - 70 comments

The right appears to be splintering on climate change, with former Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull describing Donald Trump as the world’s leading climate change denier.  And locally National MP Andrew Bayley has talked the profound effects of climate change on Antarctica’s ecosystems at the same time as Paula Bennett is attacking educational material designed to make children think about climate change.

The great political heist that wasn’t

Written By: mickysavage
Date published: - 40 comments

National has hinted darkly that the theft of laptops from its headquarters was possibly motivated by political considerations even though it had been told of a similar burglary of a neighbouring office had also occurred recently.

Why UK Labour lost? Part 9: What the party needs to do now.

Written By: nickkelly
Date published: - 12 comments

Originally post on Nick Kelly’s blog

The broader context of this defeat is that over the last century, UK Labour has won 8 out of the last 28 general elections. Overall the Labour Party is not a successful electoral force in the UK. What makes the 2019 loss harder, is that the party lost sections of its historical base in the North of England and the Midlands.

Royal Move

Written By: advantage
Date published: - 28 comments

It’s great to hear Prince Harry and Meghan quitting as senior royals and going off on their own.  Maybe others in the Royal Family should think of doing the same.

Simon Bridges went to China

Written By: mickysavage
Date published: - 44 comments

It has been revealed that Simon Bridges’trip to China last year was organised by National MP and former teacher of English to Chinese spies Jian Yang and that an offer of assistance from MFAT was declined.

LBJ Redux

Written By: advantage
Date published: - 36 comments

What if the American assassination of General Soleimani results in the complete withdrawal of US troops from the Middle East?

Get out now

Written By: Mike Smith
Date published: - 76 comments

General Soleimani was visiting Iraq at the request of the Iraqi Prime Minister to discuss mediation between the US and Iran. Following his assassination by the US the Iraqi Parliament has voted to ask all foreign troops to leave the country. New Zealand’s remaining troops should bring forward their scheduled departure and leave immediately.

 

That 1914 Feeling

Written By: Mike Smith
Date published: - 104 comments

President Trump personally ordered the assassination of General Qassem Soleimani, head of Iran’s elite military Quds force. He was killed by rockets fired from US drones over Baghdad Airport.  This is unlawful by any standards, as well as an act of war. Iran has promised retaliation.The doomsday clock just moved closer to midnight.

New book reveals Le Carré’s bleak view of post-Brexit world 

Written By: Simon Louisson
Date published: - 5 comments

John le Carré’s 26th book, Agent Running in the Field, which, according to the publishers is his take on Brexit, and suggests a dystopian future for European liberal democracies in a post-Brexit world. It follows John le Carré’s overarching theme – with friends like these, who needs enemies?