Sue Bradford, a New Left Party and how Phil Goff becomes PM

Bradford still in new party talks
Former Greens MP Sue Bradford has confirmed she is still in discussions about forming a new left-wing political party, but will not be drawn on whether independent Maori MP Hone Harawira is involved.

Ms Bradford, who left Parliament last year, said she could not reveal who else was involved in the talks, but she confirmed several figures on the political left were actively discussing the logistics of a new party being set up in time for this year's election.

"All I can say is that there continue to be a lot of people on the left who are very keen on the idea of a party, including Hone Harawira and myself, but I still don't know where that's going. I hope there'll be something more definitive very soon, one way or another.''

The question beneficiaries and minimum wage earners need to ask themselves this election is whether they want fighters like Sue Bradford and Hone Harawira in their corner when their aspirations are being decided by a Government. Urban liberals who care about social equity need to ask themselves if a party like this could change the MMP Parliamentary math and deny National the 47% majority they need to win by (especially as ACT and United Future are both on their last legs with Public Servant Belmont open to challenge and Rodney looking shaky in Epsom if a New Right Party launches) and Maori would need to ask themselves if they are ready to expand a political vehicle anchored with Hone that debates issues within race and class.

Sue's brilliant work on the Alternative Welfare Proposal to counter the Welfare Razor Gang's slash and burn 14 weeks back to work after the baby is born all stick no carrot report means her recommendations would form the backbone of a New Left Party's welfare policy and Matt's Unite Union's policy of $15 minimum wage would be a mandated must.

Given that the Polls are missing a large chunk of NZ's poor, the latest Roy Morgan Poll has National down to 49%, National need 47% to govern on their own, in an election with the economy in meltdown, National need to maximize Key's smile and wave political capital to overcome majority resistance to privatization of assets and deep cuts to welfare, in the latter there is something interesting happening in the NZ psyche.

The Earthquake has made real in physical terms what the recession has been doing unseen for years. The me first and the gimmie, gimmie mantra of Key's vacant optimism of individual uber alles has been knocked off it's shiny aspirational perch by the grim reality of our fellow NZers hurt and dazed. NZers react angrily at what they perceive as state intervention in their lives directly, they look at the repeal of section 59 (which hasn't led to the mass criminalization of parents as the hysterical proclaimed) and perceived that as the state interfering in the role of the parent and child, but that doesn't mean as National has interpreted it that NZers don't want State intervention. We do look to the State to intervene for our collective benefit and the zeitgeist this quake has brought about is a reawakening of the strength of solidarity.

Where does a solo mum find part time work in Christchurch when her child turns 3 now Mr Key?

Key is trying to win this election at the middle management watercooler with talk of privatization and crippling of the welfare state getting 'gotta make the tough call' head nods from middle management NZ where as Phil Goff is trying to win it at the kitchen table with those NZers who are trying to balance the budget every week and see the first $5000 tax free with gst off fruit and vegetables as a necessity they need to stay afloat.

If Rodney goes down in Epsom, ACT are out, if Dunne takes a tumble in public servant stacked Belmont, United Future is out and the new Citizen Party's amazing result in Botany bodes ill for National, making 47% with no likely coalition partners the chance Goff has of becoming the next PM with the Greens, the Maori Party and a New Left Party pushing for the kind of progressive policy shift the left have only ever dreamed of before.

As for NZ First? With Key ruling them out and Winston's big 3 policy of repealing the repeal of section 59, nationalizing the Foreshore and Seabed and making all referendum binding a clear seduction of conservative rump vote, National protest voters will become the pavlov dog of this election leaving NZ First just shy of the 5% threshold.

Hone will be touring Universities and giving speeches throughout March and will make an announcement in April as to the aspirations of a new political party on the left.