Shearer & Cunliffe; Pancho & Lefty?

Labour leadership vote at 4pm today; So what do we do till then? Listen to Townes van Zandt of course

20th Nov 12, 11:02am by Alex Tarrant

By Alex Tarrant

Labour leader David Shearer will seek an endorsement of his leadership at an urgent caucus meeting at 4pm today.

While it seems Shearer will get 100% backing and demote David Cunliffe to the back benches, watchers are wondering whether the move will be enough to stub out Cunliffe's expected move in February to contest the leadership.

The Shearer camp thinks so.

But despite Shearer being guaranteed to get the endorsement today, this is still the only story in Parliament this week. And everyone's sitting around wondering what else can be added.

I'm sure other songs may get closer to this story line, but I couldn't help wondering whether Townes van Zandt's Pancho & Lefty could help.

There doesn't seem to be one solid interpretation of it, but the song appears to be about the fall of a pretty flash bandit, Pancho (Shearer?), at the hands of a side-kick, Lefty (Cunliffe?), on behalf of the federales (Labour's grassroots?).

That obviously wasn't good for Pancho, but it didn't lead to much for Lefty either. He had to leg it and is growing old in some cheap digs somewhere.

Now the desert's gone cold.

Shearer's leadership is not being killed off like Pancho was...yet. But is this just part of the death by a thousand cuts process? Cunliffe's going to be legging it to the back benches and may be too damaged [old] to be able to launch anything again.

Lessons to be learnt from it? Or clutching at straws?

To be honest, this is probably more about an excuse for me to watch YouTube at work. So maybe just enjoy the song.

On a more serious note, here's Labour MP (reportedly from the Cunliffe faction) Sue Moroney arriving at Parliament for the vote:

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8 Comments

by powerdownkiwi | 20th Nov 12, 11:57am 1353365861

Shearer "economic growth".

Cunliffe "economic growth"

English "sustainable growth".

So they're both still a better option that the Nats, but still no option at all.

Labour were relevant, when folk lived close to the dark satanic mills-slash-freezer, rode bikes, wore blue overalls, 6-o'clock swilled........

Those days are over, as are the short-lived halcyon years where we farmed our crap work out overseas, our environmental liabilities likewise, ans thought we were getting 'rich' selling houses to each other.

Unless they can re-invent themselves as relevant to the future (same goes for the Nats and the socilist-leaning Greens) then they're a wasted space.

Irregardless of who wins which round.

by Rudderless | 20th Nov 12, 1:37pm 1353371859

Essential Cunliffe background reading.

To find out how this guy handles ministerial tasks - Read the book 'Bird on a wire'.

Sorry David - you will never get my vote.

by Alex Tarrant | 20th Nov 12, 12:46pm 1353368780

Video of Sue Moroney arriving at Parliament in there too now

by Mike B | 20th Nov 12, 12:51pm 1353369101

The unions, which used to hold most of the Labour party clout, started to loose the suport of its members back in about the mid seventies. Up untill then both the unions and Labour were fully supportive of the working classes. Then they became politically correct. Unions became more concerned with the rights of Maori, Women, Refugees and so on and forgetting all about "THE WORKER". So when Rogernomics came along "THE WORKER" was glad to see the back of the unions.

Labour followed the politically corect unions.

So today we have politically correct unions and Labour party, and until they wake up and represent ALL the workers, then they will not progrees any further than were they are at now

Mind you, National are no better. They used to represent the farmers and small businesses but after Rogernomics became more interested in the finacial sector. So they to, need to get their act together.

by ngakonui gold | 20th Nov 12, 1:30pm 1353371433

most of the die hard labour voters are the ones who say. my dad was a wharfie or coalminer during the strikes and he would turnover in his grave if i didn't vote labour

'well the answer to that is that he won't and if you think he will then you had better stay with labour.

by KH | 20th Nov 12, 2:00pm 1353373241

Labour has about two and a half leadership changes to go before they get their mojo back. Thats one view. The other view is that they will never get it back.

by goNZ | 20th Nov 12, 2:05pm 1353373556

the serious side to all this

is that us taxpayers are paying for a whole lot of extra air fares for these goons to have a special little meeting - cos they cant hold hands and be nice to each other and sing Kumbaya like the Greenies

by Chairman Moa | 20th Nov 12, 4:12pm 1353381172

Shearer who?

And who's Cunliffe, someone important????