Posts Tagged ‘english’

Arses and Elbows

Written By: - Date published: 1:21 pm, June 19th, 2014 - 123 comments

So, the Deputy Prime Minister insists that no-one from the ruling National Party knew of an eleven year old letter from Labour’s David Cunliffe asking Immigration about time frames for decision making. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister states he knew of the letter for some weeks. Scandalously, some ministers from the ruling National Party have sought […]

Cullen’s two cents

Written By: - Date published: 2:24 pm, June 3rd, 2009 - 8 comments

Quite rightly, Michael Cullen has avoided getting involved in the debate over National’s starvation diet for the New Zealand Superannuation Fund, known as the Cullen Fund. As chairman of an SOE, he should keep out of partisan politics. Still, he couldn’t resist sending a subtle message. In today’s Dom there is a letter to the […]

Rhetoric and reality

Written By: - Date published: 11:58 am, June 2nd, 2009 - 45 comments

Tax cuts are the right wing’s favourite answer to every question. Before the election, National were promising us that tax cuts were the key to economic growth: Key: “National will deliver an ongoing programme of personal tax cuts. Fundamentally, National believes in the growth-enhancing power of tax cuts. Labour does not.” English: “… all the […]

Out of touch

Written By: - Date published: 8:57 am, April 7th, 2009 - 32 comments

Vernon Small suggests that a further 60,000 workers may lose their jobs by next year. So it comes as a shock to read that John Key’s response to this latest news is to stick firmly to his: “optimistic and sunny” approach. It’s almost like he’s living in some alternative reality. While Bill is quietly crapping […]

English kicks cycleway to touch

Written By: - Date published: 7:41 pm, April 5th, 2009 - 22 comments

While John Key’s been bouncing from cloud to cloud, Bill English has been grinding away in the back room. He’s finally done the the numbers on Key’s cycleway, announcing today that: We won’t be spending $50 million on it this year or next year or the year after. With one swift stroke, he’s effectively killed […]

The Nats on Iraq

Written By: - Date published: 11:55 am, November 5th, 2008 - 34 comments

The Nats have had two responses to English’s “pull the trigger” comments revealed last night: first the taping itself was branded a “dirty trick” and now we have Key claiming on Sunrise this morning that the comments may have been taken out of context. Well here’s a view of his own, straight from Hansard, with […]

English “worried” about Obama

Written By: - Date published: 8:10 pm, November 4th, 2008 - 97 comments

More from 3News tonight on the secret recordings taken at the Naitonal Party conference in August. This time it’s Bill English expressing concern over Barack Obama’s “moralistic” stance to international relations: I’m a bit worried about this whole Obama and Europe thing, just because there’s a limited effectiveness in being moralistic about international relations… and the […]

Semantics

Written By: - Date published: 11:29 am, August 10th, 2008 - 17 comments

The SST reports that English says that he will “never” challenge Key for the leadership. Yet I’m told that over the past couple of years, even to some in the press gallery, English hasn’t made a secret of his future leadership ambitions around Parliament. Makes you wonder what else his faction has on Key.

TV3 on the leaks from National’s conference

Written By: - Date published: 2:06 pm, August 6th, 2008 - 4 comments

Here’s the recent coverage from TV3 and political reporter Duncan Garner. On Bill English’s comments regarding the sale of Kiwibank (aired August 4, 2008): On Lockwood Smith’s hints at a secret agenda (aired August 5, 2008): [Apologies for errors in the previous videos, have re-uploaded fresh copies, AYB]

News coverage of English revelations

Written By: - Date published: 11:59 am, August 5th, 2008 - 9 comments

Here’s the segment on the English meltdown from TV One last night. [I wanted to put up TV3’s as well – it’s good coverage, including interviews with KiwiBank customers – but I just can’t seem to deal with their flaky video stream (anyone else have problems with it?)]

National’s policy vacuum

Written By: - Date published: 5:13 pm, June 9th, 2008 - 52 comments

From the editorial in the ODT today we learn that Bill English is keen to dampen down concern within the party at the lack of policy, telling delegates at their southern conference: “We pick the timing [for policy release] – not Labour, not the media, not the public.” He signaled it may be released very late and […]

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