I am relieved after seeing the detail that has come out about the marriage without any mana between the Mana Party and the Internet Party (Alliance) . It is now obvious that Dotcom’s promised $1M will ensure a 3rd term for a National lead Government.
While Belgarion may be right that some National party voters may consider voting the IP, that wish of his has evaporated with the announcements detailing the deal. There is nothing in it for the IP (whoever they are) but Hone will benefit if things turn out as he hopes. The wildest optimistic result would be that they got 3% and 4 MPs, which would be Hone, Annette Sykes, John Minto and Laila Harré. I don’t know any National voters/supporters that would willingly vote for that bunch.
It is as left wing as left wing can be. An apt name would be the Dotcommunist Party as Barry Soper points out.
But this causes major problems for the Labour/Greens. Most of the votes for the Alliance is likely to come from the Greens and is highly unlikely to increase the Left blocks vote more than at the margins. Instead it will further fragment it and make Cunliffe’s job even more impossible. It is also highly likely to alleviate and scare more voters. This hotchpotch of parties offering themselves up to change the Government has gone even further over to the Left than an alternative Labour lead Government was a couple of days ago, further away from most voters.
I predict more Labour leaning voters will now head towards National, not the other way around.
Equally important is the fact that this will scare the living daylights out of Winston and he will most certainly not be supporting a Labour lead Government where the Greens and the Alliance’s bunch will have equal or more influence than himself. That leaves him with only National to finish of his political career in a constructive Government, singing his swan song on the NZ political stage.
Now just wait for National to drop a “hint” to their Maori supporters in Te Tai Tokerau to sign up to the Maori roll and vote for Labour’s Kelvin Davies. R.I.P. Mana and Internet parties.
Dotcom may not realise it but it appears that his misguided foray into NZ politics and his spending of $1M has given John Key an easier ride into 3rd term as PM. Dotcom will have plenty of time to reflect of the folly of his ways, from whatever mansion he will be residing in come early 2015 !