HOOTONS NBR COLUMN

Hooton's NBR column this week takes a look at Phil "Big Balls" Goff

Here are the good bits and some comment from BB

Phil Goff’s leadership of the Labour Party goes on the line in Mt Albert on 13 June. In the extremely unlikely event Labour actually lost an electorate it has held since the 1930s, Mr Goff’s leadership would be over, his party would descend into turmoil and despair, and National would be guaranteed what is already a near-certain second term.

Even worse for Labour would be winning by only a couple of thousand votes. Mr Goff would survive temporarily but there would be no hiding his lack of connection with Labour’s base. Its new generation of MPs would surely begin a destabilisation campaign. No one knows this better than Mr Goff.

We agree, the knives are already out for Goff as we have previously reported after some of the younger party members realised the implications of Judith Tizard coming back into parliament on the the back of list PMP Phil Twyford winning Mt Albert.

Hooton says it was to Goffs credit that he called in UMR Research UMR is Australia and New Zealand’s top corporate-reputation and issues-management research firm and has long held both the Labor and Labour accounts.

The results of the UMR study are secret but it has been reported it explored the so-called “Tizard Bomb”, after Labour had been spooked by a mischievous campaign by right-wing bloggers whaleoil.co.nz and NBR online columnist David Farrar.

The results must have been bad as he got Twyford to agree not to stand and made sure no other Labour hopeful put their name forward either.

Instead, Goff got his old mate David Shearer, back from Iraq. Mr Shearer stood in Whangarei in 2002, although he didnt wittle down National’s Phil Heatley’s small 1934 majority, despite the massive swing to Labour.

Having taken charge, Mr Goff can probably sleep more peacefully between tonight and 13 June but he alone will now be held accountable for the result.

Hell this is where we disagree with Hooton - this guy Shearer may look flashy on paper and he aint bad looking but hes not much chop on the hustings.

Goff has apparently got lefty PR spinner Jenny Michie, on the job- but judging by Shearers lack lustre performance in the past - its gonna be a farrking big job for Labour to keep Mt Albert red.Unlike Hooton we reckon Goff wont sleep a wink between now and the 13 of June.