TODD MULLER'S RESIGNATION IS BAD NEWS FOR THE LABOUR-ALIGNED LEFT

The Labour-aligned left would have preferred Todd Muller to stay leader of the National Party.

TODD MULLER'S sudden resignation as leader of the National Party is bad news for the ever decreasing number of Labour Party supporters who still, even now, hold on to forlorn hopes that they can somehow bump Labour in a more progressive direction.

Thirty years of neoliberalism has gutted Labour of its former social democratic beliefs but there are those who walk among us who still hold a candle for those beliefs. Indeed some of them will be meeting in Wellington later this month for 'Alternative Aotearoa' where will they discuss the kind of progressive policies they would like to see a second term Labour (led) Government implement.

But if the chances of centrist Jacinda and her chums ever adopting such policies was slim before Muller resigned, its looking even less likely now. With National in disarray and heading to an inevitable election defeat, Labour has little incentive to change direction. And it won't. It will simply hunker down and promise more of the same.

The participants at Alternative Aotearoa would be better served discussing what is to be done about the Labour Party rather than concocting a policy wish list that will go exactly nowhere. Of course broaching that topic would mean finally conceding that Labour has little to offer in terms of the development of progressive politics in New Zealand. And that won't happen.