The simple truth is – Simon Bridges has earned a second shot

By
Martyn Bradbury
-
55
1995

The Key-Luxon conjoined twin pitch is Luxon for Leader and Key replacing Goodfellow as President. Together, puppet and master, will shoulder tap the next generation of alpha leaders to stand as a fresh new generation of right wing politicians vetted through a candidate academy.

It’s elitism on cocaine.

The problem is Luxon is utterly untested and already smells like Todd Muller.

I mean getting Key to do the phoning just looks so chinless doesn’t it?

The truth is Simon earned a second shot. He was gracious in defeat, wrote a book and continued to be one of their best performers.

Before Covid, National was neck and neck with Labour, and that was because Simon was pushing back all the time. He fought in the trenches and did the hard yards, to write his leadership off is a mistake.

Look I think Luxon would be a great Deputy and alongside a Maori National Leader embody the aspiration that National values.

The reality is that National are polling well in poorer electorates, Simon Bridges appeals to that electorate, a very religious rich CEO doesn’t.

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Selecting Simon would be a means of healing the Muller fiasco while cauterizing Collins.

What Collins did by maliciously weaponizing MeToo shouldn’t be rewarded.

Luxon is looking mighty privileged and the perception is Key is buying the National Party.

Simon is battle tested, Luxon is not and there is one hell of a battle coming!

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55 COMMENTS

  1. Yep, inclined to agree,…now I was not impressed with Simons screeching during the interview with John Campbell a few years back,…especially when he was backing the John Key govt,…as energy Minister, I think it was. But unlike many of the other tribal Nationals, perhaps Simon is teachable. I also think he could go head to head with Adern better than most. He’s young, and I prefer leaders with a few more years on them,… but looking at the poor quality of older leaders in both major party’s to date doesn’t mean older ones necessarily have an advantage. In fact many of the older ones would be more suited as clowns in a circus act. Yes, I think Adern and Bridgers would be steel sharpening steel. And that can only be good for the country.

    • Yep. Bridges may be the best of a bad bunch. Luxon looks awful, not quite right. Key – who is ageing visibly badly – lobbying for Luxon, is a dismaying call for all who have read, “ Dirty Politics “ and would prefer it that John Key keeps his mitts right out of New Zealand politics, if not right out of New Zealand. None of the “Dirty Politics” lot should still be anywhere near Parliament.

  2. Spy: Simon Bridges escapes political turmoil for celebrity bake off
    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/spy-simon-bridges-escapes-political-turmoil-for-celebrity-bake-off/VNGZVSOEQUN7QOOXPQDQSEJZMY/

    vs

    National Party leadership: John Key ‘calling MPs’ urging them to back Chris Luxon
    https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300464783/national-party-leadership-john-key-calling-mps-urging-them-to-back-chris-luxon

    In the countdown to the next National party leader decision, it’s Bridges trying to outdo celebrity Jacinda Ardern, and Luxon trying to outdo young Neve (Papa John’s baby).

  3. I hope it all goes badly for that traitor. Hopefully Key-Luxton will make Todd Muller seem like a GREAT idea.
    And the utter failure of the ‘Labour in name only’ party, will get an easy win next time around.
    Hey ho maybe JacindaBlair can get something right, third time of trying.

  5. Apparently Key has said he was not doing this Martyn…

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/300464783/national-party-leadership-john-key-says-he-wasnt-making-calls-for-luxon

    However during his time he also said he would not raise GST…and did so.
    He held a referendum on selling state owned power companies, the country voted against it yet Key went ahead and did it anyway ignoring the people of N.Z. because he claimed he had a mandate to do so, due to National being voted into government.

    So, I’d go with your original story Martyn, as Key has never been trustworthy, that is a fact.

        • Wild Katipo I remembered that I forgot to turn the iron off but freely admit that I don’t remember when I turned it on. ( Please don’t tell anybody).

          • No worries mate, – I forgot to turn 3 boiled eggs off as I went back to the computer the other night,… egg boiling all over the stove. Still, nothing wasted, My voracious son made short work of them when he and his mate came home in the nick of time !

            PS: Don’t tell anybody !!!

            • Wild katipo – Just for fun I told my neighbour the firefighter- she enjoys a bit of a giggle – pretty sure that no-one else on the bus heard, ok ?

  6. The simple fact is this. Bridges won’t appeal to white under 30 women. A luxon/willis ticket might possibly. Bridges would only be trying to take votes back off Act. A fool’s errand.

    • Why do you think Bridges won’t appeal to white women under 30? Because of the unfortunate joke that found its way back into the spotlight thanks to Collins and Dean?

    • Frank If you’re not a white woman under 30, then you can’t really say what they may or may not prefer, and it could be a bit simplistic suggesting that ethnicity is a major factor.

      Luxon, in fact can appear a little creepy. He’s one of those males who always looks as if his suit is too tight for him – even if it isn’t. He appears too stage-managed – artless-tieless. I feel mean criticising a man on his appearance ,but I don’t think that he gels that well. Being a willing protege of Key is also quite peculiar.

  7. Collins is a weasel for weaponising MeToo but it has most likely worked and it is time for both Collins and Bridges to exit stage left.
    As to referring to Key as elitist, I think is pretty disingenuous since he was raised in a state house. Based on that criteria, pretty much every MP in the house is an elitist.
    Now I for one think most of them, left and right, are greedy selfish pricks only interested in sticking their snouts in the taxpayer trough. But elitist? Meh

    • Key’s father owned a restaurant in St Heliers ….he was not raised in a state house until around the age of 7.
      His family had money.
      John Roughan’s book lays out the reality (funnily enough)..the back story sticks…just like the b/s that he donated his P.M salary to..charity.

  8. Bridges would be best for Labour…he can become a 2 time loser…like English.

    Luxona roll on deodorant is another Mueller.
    A real refresh…Willis and Reti…is a good combo.Ticks all the boxes.

  9. I would somewhat disagree. I personally feel that Simon Bridges hasn’t quite earned a second shot.

    I actually felt, at the time, that Bill English deserved to be elected PM in 2017. Jacinda Ardern of Labour, despite her merits, was too inexperienced for the role, I thought.

    For National’s future, I do endorse Chris Luxon, the reason being that Jacinda Ardern’s turn as this country’s leader has resulted in the erosion of a significant amount of values which the majority of citizens hold dear. The need is there for a National Leader who will aim to retrieve at least some of these values in the most dignified manner as possible.

    • Well I think you will be waiting a long time for a National Leader to retrieve some values in the most dignified manner as possible. Because to date, – and when in power, – they have acted constantly without any dignity and certainly without any values!.

  10. Okay Simon in the lead then Luxon is suggested but with doubts. Key National Party leader where he can guard his investments. But who else with Simon. Todd Muller I never got to know. He is a farmer isn’t he. Was it that he couldn’t cope with Judith, or the whole chattering class? Did he go away back to the farm office and sit and quietly look at the wall for a while, then go out and pat the horse, the tractor, Maisie the house cow and the dawg, oh and the wife perhaps?

  11. Oh my God…
    Judith was a dung barge full of shit pushed off a cliff. Soimon Bwidges is a talking donkey trying to swallow a pool bawl. Or bwilliards?
    Jeeeeesus Christ…! There’s a cluster looking for a fuck for ya?
    Do you know what? We’d be best to just sidle past and walk away while humming a nonchalant tune…
    National Party? Your facade has not only fallen off, it’s dissolved into a froth and floated down the shitter.
    I wish I was sad. I really do. But! ? Ba haha ahha ahahahah ahha a Wait? Wait? Can’t bweathe, can’t bweathe…… Ba hhhhaha ahah ahh ahahah hahahahha hahahahahahhaha ahah a a ahhah ahaha ahahha ahhahaha aha !

  12. ” The simple truth is – Simon Bridges has earned a second shot”
    Define ‘shot’ ?
    Soimon’s a cheap suit containing a little shit. I beg to be proven wrong.

    • A cheap suit? That’s a cheap shot, CB. As is mocking Bridges’ accent.

      And by the way, donkeys generally don’t get law degrees.

      • Yes, but you know, its what you do with that degree that counts as the old observation goes… Now, young Mr Bridgers has at least said he has grown since some time back and for that it shows teachability and wisdom. I say give him a shot , despite my sentiment being directly against the Nats and more towards democracy and needing viable opposition. That is what I am concerned with.

  13. One only has to remember how many times Key was caught flat footed, only to have those incidents “disappeared” early on in his term as PM to know how forgiving the parliamentary press gallery can be towards leaders of the party,, But only the “right” party…

  14. One only has to remember how many times Key was caught flat footed, only to have those incidents “disappeared” early on in his term as PM to know how forgiving the parliamentary press gallery can be towards leaders of the party,, But only the “right” party…

  16. Luxton is certainly no Muller: I’ve seen him perform in meetings and he fills the room. He’s in charge, he’s smart and knows what he’s doing.

    What I don’t like about Luxton is that he’s a rabid Catholic and to use Chris Trotter’s phraseology: I suspect he’s another “transactional leader” like Key was, parachuted in to assist for a while, then may bugger off leaving the rest of the party holding the baby.

  17. God only knows how but National getting their shit together will A, deflate ACT and B, deflate Labour. But at least ridding themselves of Collins as leader will be a boost.

    Labour kinda managing Covid Delta this time around but not all that well will not cut it for voters. And given their lack of foresight and planning abilities, another well flagged variant could knock even that achievement out from under Labour. And Jacinda is still avoiding locked down Auckland like the plague speaks volumes as to her confidence and I suspect the shine is long gone and she is not overly missed by us anyway.

    Then it comes down to some other festering sores like housing, the increasing hidden problems with state housing tenancy, health and ever growing crime problem. And then there’s the little things like Michael Woods multi billion dollar super complex solution to light rail, that will fail. All backed by the most talentless cabinet in the history of this country.

    Problem is National still have the destructive Judith Collins in its midst, so quite how they’re going to pull out of this terminal nose dive I cannot imagine!

  18. When it comes to being religious Bridges is right up there too. He’s a proven shyster and ,if half decent, should bow out gracefully. But he won’t – he must have a lesser case of Collins’s Psycopathy.

    • mikesh Willis might have Key connections too – I think she was advising or speechwriting for some one that petered out – Bridges/ Reti would make a fortuitous Maori-led party minus all the Green gender angst – or the English clones proclaiming their honorary Samoan chieftainship and so on. A decorative useless Maggie B type deputy would be a counterfoil for a Reti, but could trigger a Bridges again asking for a cup of tea luv. They really need leaders who know the magic word.

      There may be another schoolboy from New Plymouth or Southland who no-one knows about – should never have let Winston Peters go.

    • Er so is Simon.

      But I have to agree, Dr Shane Reti seems like a great choice. Yes he’s no where as charismatic as Jacinda, even I have to admit, no one is. But it takes away the “who’s the popular” contest the media love playing, by changing the agenda to “who’s the most competent”. This is where this govt is lacking. Remember Simon had National ahead early last year, and even Jacindas greatest fan boy would have admit, “Covid saved Jacinda”

      Notwithstanding, the likes of Stuff may find hard to tarnish Reti (won’t stop them trying) but they have their powder dry already for Luxon, Mitchell and Bishop, and they’ll just rehash their spite they held Simon in. The media assassination of Reti maybe a little more difficult…but nothing another $55 million won’t solve.

    • Come on Denny, we both know that’s not why the Nats caucus doesn’t think he’s leader material. The problem is emphatically not his ethnicity – it’s that he comes across as rather geeky, more of a backroom boffin than a front person. Can you see him being comfortable in the spotlight? If the Nats were a pop group, Reti would be one of their song writers alright, but not the frontman.

  21. Bridges should deserve a second chance, just as Bill English was given a second chance.
    Collins tried to knee-cap Bridges and it backfired. Collins should slither back under her Dirty Politics’ rock with the slaters.
    Some of the muck raked up by Collins and Whaleoil though, might stick to Bridges, but he might come back stronger, wilier, wiser and more circumspect than before.
    Luxon could be kept in reserve until just before the next election to rise Lazarus, or Phoenix-like from the rubble of teh National Party rabble. After all, it’s what Jacinda did as the Labour saviour after Labour’s leadership blood-letting.

    Get the popcorn, some beersies and the chardonnay in, because the next few days, months and year in the National Party before the next election, will be must-see blog-watching and television “pundit” pontificating.

    Hate to sound like Mike Hosking, and I do prefer “Like Mike” better, but “Happy days, happy days”

  23. I hope Simon is Leader come Tuesday. First on his agenda – purge Judith Collins from the party once and for all. She needs to be goneburgers, by Tuesday lunchtime, if National wants to restore their credibility. It occurred to me over the weekend that this latest stunt was all about holding on to her MP position rather than be sacked. Who would dare fire the woman that stood up for women in the workplace? Think of the backlash! The crafty B’arch.

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