Cunliffe pushes for early contest

David Cunliffe
David Cunliffe
Labour leader David Cunliffe called again for an early leadership contest and pledged to get behind whoever wins if he loses.

His comments this morning in advance of Labour's first caucus meeting of the new term follow calls from other MPs for a leadership contest to be delayed until the party has time to digest its loss and the reasons for it.

Flanked by his deputy David Parker, Mr Cunliffe said the party's ruling Council would launch an immediate review of the election today, but Labour had to get on with rebuilding as soon as possible.

"Uncertainty is deeply damaging to the party."

"We must stop the leaks, we must stop the infighting. It's not good enough. We need a leader confirmed for the caucus and party to get on. That leader may or may not be me."

He said that he would expect the same in return if he was successful in staying on.

His comments indicate he will not leave Parliament altogether if he is ousted as leader - something he has refused to confirm until now.

Mr Cunliffe said Labour's result was terrible and he took responsibility for that.

"The voters are never wrong. We work hard but we are not yet seen as a credible alternative."

He said there were a variety of mechanisms to trigger the leadership contest - one included his resignation but he would not take that option. That would leave it to caucus to to hold a vote of no confidence in him to trigger one - but he said he would not call for one himself.

That vote must be held within three months - but Mr Cunliffe said he believed it should happen as soon as possible and before the final results were known. 

After avoiding the media all day yesterday, Mr Cunliffe held a press conference this morning, also using it as an opportunity to introduce Labour's new MPs before moving on to talk about his leadership. Mr Cunliffe said the presence of new MPs was a bright spot in what had been a terrible loss for Labour.

Mr Cunliffe is about to go in to the first caucus meeting after leading Labour to its worst trouncing in 80 years.

When conceding on election night, he announced he intended to seek a new mandate to change the party and lead it into the 2017 election.

Several MPs this morning said there should be no rush into a leadership contest and have pushed for a review of the party's performance before any changes.

He said his colleagues' calls to wait at least until the final count was known were "positioning."

"I think there's a bit of positioning going on and people can see that for what it is."

By Claire Trevett of the New Zealand Herald 

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