Who wears the pants?

  • Bill Birch
Finance

Labour has adopted yet another Alliance policy today, saying as part of its social welfare policy it will look at setting up 'community banks', Finance Minister Sir William Birch said today.

'Back in February Dr Cullen said Mr Anderton's idea for a state bank was silly.

'That was true then and it is now. But the Labour Party has adopted the policy.

'That's hardly surprising. Last year Dr Cullen was saying 'you can't go into an election saying there are going to be large tax increases to any income level'.

'But the Alliance stands for higher taxes and so Labour does too.

'Labour has fallen in behind the Alliance's policies on extra government spending, on giving unions more power, on paid parental leave and holidays, and even on defence.

'No wonder Dr Cullen keeps losing his rag. He keeps having to swallow Jim Anderton's policies.'

Sir William said it was interesting to see Jim Anderton today saying the Alliance's job is to push Labour closer to his policies 'anyone looking at Labour's policies would think he's already succeeded.'