Winston Peters has schooled Simon Bridges after Bridges announced he no longer had a path to victory.
Newshub reports:
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters is “unfazed” by National Party leader Simon Bridges’ announcement on Sunday, where he ruled the party out as a potential coalition partner after the 2020 General Election.
“Let me say this – he’s got a lot to learn about politics. Narrowing your options can be the worst strategic move you will ever make,” Peters said.
“Having been in politics a long time, and a member of the National Party for over 25 years, the one thing New Zealand First is confident about is that if voters deliver that possibility, and if Mr Bridges doesn’t pick up the phone, someone else within his caucus will do it for him.
“He has also demonstrated he has no insight into what a unified caucus looks like,” Peters said.
“As Douglas McArthur said, there’ll come a time soon when he’ll when [sic] want to see me much more than I want to see him.”
He’s right. If the numbers don’t fall as Bridges expects then he’s going to have to choose between a deal with Winston or three more years in opposition.
Either way it’s the end of his career. Hubris always undoes political novices. I guess this is what happens when you rely on people like Todd McClay and Paula Bennett for strategy and your former advisors, Crosby Textor and Topham Guerin have sacked you as a client.
If Bridges doesn’t pick up the phone then I’m sure someone like Todd Mueller will. Bridges will be gutted like a trout before a deal is done. If they don’t then he will be gutted by his caucus, angry for having another three years in opposition.