Annette King has stood down as the Labour Party’s Deputy Leader, with both herself and leader Andrew Little endorsing Jacinda Ardern as her successor.
“I did ask her [King] to stay on the front bench with the Health Portfolio, and she did consider it,” Little told Critic, “but ultimately she stuck to her decision to step out of parliament in September and I totally respect that decision.”
King’s move comes amid media speculation that a Labour reshuffle was looming before the September General Election. Whether King was pushed or whether she jumped, she is a seasoned political veteran, and her departure has left a vacuum that it seems Jacinda Ardern will likely be filling.
Little stated that Ardern “represents a generation who are missing out because of the government’s neglect on issues like housing, health, and education, and she’ll bring that appeal [to younger voters] to the position.”
Ardern has been a forerunner of the New Zealand Labour Party ever since her entrance into Parliament in 2008, when she was New Zealand’s youngest sitting MP. A youthful left-wing demographic has aligned themselves with Ardern, which will certainly help Labour’s recently damaged reputation.
Little went on to tell Critic that because of the “dynamic bunch of young MPs and candidates across the board [he] is feeling confident for the upcoming General Election.”
Following King’s resignation and the likely appointment of Ardern, all eyes will be on whether Labour’s place in the polls rises as a result.