Bill English on poll result: ’tis but a scratch

by Cameron Slater on August 19, 2017 at 12:30pm

Prime Minister Bill English has shrugged off a poor poll result, insisting “there’s nothing new about a tight election”.

National was down three points to 44 per cent in last night’s One News-Colmar Brunton poll.

Labour under new leader Jacinda Ardern has rocketed up to 37 per cent – an increase of 13 points.

Equally galling for English is the fact that he and Ardern were neck and neck in the preferred prime minister question, both scoring 30 per cent.

Asked about the poll results today, English said he wasn’t “particularly concerned”.

“There’s nothing new about a tight election,” he said.

“This was always going to be tight and now the choices are a bit clearer as the campaign’s started.”

English said National had originally planned for a “tough campaign” even before Ardern replaced Andrew Little as Labour’s leader.

“So now it’s pretty clear we are at the start of a campaign, the dust settled on the leadership changes and now we get to have a clear debate about what sort of government people want.”

If National’s campaign is free of controversy then 43% is about right.   But that doesn’t leave a lot of fat to cope with any electioneering tussle.

One thing is for sure – every party is focused on increasing their party vote.  The Greens for survival.  Labour to not need the Greens.  NZ First to regain some traction.  And National not to drop any further.

There will be no love lost between any of them.    Let’s do this.