The loyalty Prime Minister Helen Clark, her deputy Michael Cullen and other members of the Labour-led government have shown New Zealand First leader Winston Peters will be put to the test this afternoon.
Miss Clark has prevaricated about whether she should sack Mr Peters as a minister outside of cabinet. Mr Peters has stood down in his role as Foreign Affairs Minister, handing over the portfolios to Miss Clark.
But the damning report last night of the privileges committee leaves Miss Clark in a vulnerable position.
The report was predictably down party lines with the four Labour MPs and the NZ First representative in the minority of the eight to five vote.
It seemed Miss Clark was aware of the final vote hours before it was released by the committee when she accused National Party and Act New Zealand MPs of bias towards the evidence.
If the vote to censure Mr Peters follows similar party lines in the House today, Labour will be left defending Mr Peters, who has become untouchable for National and might prove the same for Labour after the election, no matter which way the result goes.
Mr Peters will try and bluster his way through the afternoon's session, but his defence is bound to fall on deaf ears and he will be censured.
Claims that the committee used tactics shown in Zimbabwe will make good headlines but will not save Mr Peters from censure.
