Sam Lotu-Iiga for mayor?

Written By: - Date published: 9:39 am, September 18th, 2012 - 7 comments
Categories: national - Tags:

Slater/Lusk are spending a hell of a lot of time talking about how the Key Government’s one-seat majority is at stake if a dissatisfied, bored backbencher decides to quit (and, in the ongoing Collins v Joyce leadership jockeying, the blame is always put on Joyce). One name that keeps popping up is Sam Lotu-Iiga. I understand the next stage will be a ‘Draft Sam’ faux mayoral campaign.

Now, Lotu-Iiga doesn’t have the support to run a successful Supercity campaign – but getting him to run isn’t the goal of the online campaign that rumour has it Slater/Lusk are preparing. It’s all about scaring the bejesus out of Key and Joyce so that they will give Lotu-Iiga a ministerial portfolio.

That, in turn, would strengthen Collins’ hand in a future leadership tussle by giving her another minister in her camp.

If true, it’s an audacious play: a leadership contender and a backbencher trying to hold the PM to ransom with a fake mayoral bid. But I just don’t think it will work. Key would surely see through any amateur hour online campaign to draft Lotu-Iiga. You can’t fake a groundswell with a website (just ask Chris Bishop and Philip Morris’s laughable “my opinion counts” website) – especially when Slater’s involved because he’s just such a D-grade propagandist. Everything he does is so transparent, and he has so many internal enemies that nothing he does stays secret.

From the Left’s perspective, what’s more interesting is that the knives are once again out in National as the Joyce and Collins camps position themselves for a leadership race. It doesn’t mean it’s going to happen tomorrow. The early bird wins the coup. But it does show that senior Nats and their operatives are now spending a lot of time thinking about the post-Key world. They’re seeing a defeat in 2014, too.

The choices are crystallising as Joyce and Collins. I think the Left will be happy to see National stuck with either of them.

7 comments on “Sam Lotu-Iiga for mayor? ”

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  1. Alice 1
    3 June 2011 at 5:09 pm

    Kicking back, maybe do some art, maybe go to the gym.

  2. mickysavage 2
    18 September 2012 at 11:01 am

    Hehe.  Sam did thank Lusk in his maiden speech for his “shrewd counsel”.  Sounds like Lusk may still be on the job.

    And there is concern that Cameron Brewer is not up to the job.  Christine Fletcher for Mayor?  At least she could be persuaded to support the inner city loop.

    People should realise that Slater is only interested in creating diversions and manipulating the situation. 

    But the interesting thing is where is this information coming from?  It seems that within the ranks of the National Party a civil war is brewing. 

    For me I think I prefer Collins although it is a close thing.  She is so reviled by so many people that her becoming PM would be a real long shot. 

  3. Rusty Hellback 3
    18 September 2012 at 3:11 pm

    [not sure what that was about – want to try again without the language? r0b]

  4. Rusty Hellback 4
    18 September 2012 at 3:29 pm

    no not really.

    [well ok, but I’m going to delete it again. r0b]

  5. Rich 5
    18 September 2012 at 4:10 pm

    Why doesn’t Lotu-Iiga just start his own party? That way, he’s guaranteed an associate minister’s limo, a free run at the election and immunity for any crimes he might want to commit. In return, his seat won’t count for National at the next election and they’ll get another list MP (not in this parliament, though).

  6. Rusty Hellback 6
    19 September 2012 at 8:34 am

    So what was wrong with my posts then r0b ?

    [lprent: What did the note say? Something about language… And you have to be somewhat extreme to get noticed by a mod here. But this is the third time a mod intervened. You could see if you have 9 lives or take the advice before I start thinking you are trying to waste our time. ]

  7. Rusty Hellback 7
    19 September 2012 at 10:25 am

    ah yes language…nigga puhlease !!!

    toodle pip whut whut…pffft