After banning the media so that they would look stable, a Green Party candidate has announced he is standing down because James Shaw is too centrist…
Green Party candidate Jack McDonald steps down over James Shaw’s ‘centrist drift’
A Green Party candidate has stepped down, saying James Shaw is moving the party too far toward the centre.
Jack McDonald, the party’s policy co-convenor and 2017 MP candidate, is so frustrated by Shaw, he says he won’t stand again.
“His [Shaw’s] approach to politics is, I think, different to what the Greens should be and I think the Greens were in terms of our roots,” he says.
“I’m concerned about the centrist drift of the party, particularly under James Shaw’s leadership.”
…sigh.
Of course James Shaw is centrist, but you don’t take a shit in the bed and then storm off in a tantrum! You stick it out and make change, and Shaw is just one person in a Party that is incredibly democratic so blaming it all on him is pretty twee.
This makes the Party look as flakey as fuck and is the last thing it needs as it desperately struggles to keep above 5%.
Look, I fear they will slide under 5% because of the middle class woke identity politics which are just so damned alienating, but the Greens need to be there to prop up bloody Labour, even though Labour are weak as hell, but quitting in the manner this candidate has by throwing a grenade in to make the entire thing look unstable is selfish and unproductive.
If you are in the team, then you are a team player and you don’t have the luxury for stunts like this.
The lack of strategic vision and implementation of brutal tactics with no idea how to communicate those tactics are the ultimate problems for the Greens.
I’m beyond being frustrated or angry with them, I just kinda feel sad now.
Definitely was a dirty trick from someone who knew who and what James was before putting himself up for election as policy coconvener only last year. Very sad for the Greens that someone who all the membership had put their trust in would repay them in this egotistical way. Whatever you think of James he is in the position that he is in because more of the membership thought he was the man for the job than anyone else.
I believe you mean the “co man” for the job.
He’s only half the leadership remember.
Where’s Davidson’s share of the responsibility?
I like James Shaw. I vote Labour but think there are some really good Green MPs. Chloe Swarbrick, Julie ann Genter, Tracy Martin, Gareth Hughes and James. Never even heard of the one leaving.
Tracey Martin is a NZ First MP. However I’d agree she is very good MP.
I agree with you Lucy, all of them would be great Labour MP’s but my view the problem is just that, aka they are too Labour not representing their Green Party identity.
Since the Greens decided to dabble into polarising issues for their voters on social policy they have stalled and now free falling backwards in voters.
So if the Greens MP’s had just stuck with environmental policy, that all the Green voters agree on and not polarise on the social policy, they would still be on 10% and rising past 15% and could collaborate with other minority parties instead of try to compete with them and wipe them out.
Marama for example is extremely polarising and seems to have zero interest in the environmental issues. So her angry landlord and home owner hatred combined with overwhelming interest in Maori issues and against the hated white Pakehas ain’t increasing votes.
There is nothing wrong with being a renter and pro Maori advocate, the problem is, there are parties out there that are all about those policies such as the socialist party and The Maori Party… of which do not attract massive amounts of support like the Green Party did, so the focus on minority issues being the only focus of Marama and now Green policy and trying to create the socialist Maori party out of the Greens is strangling out traditional Green voters who don’t share the same views while reducing votes for the other parties like The Maori party.
One misfit does not a meltdown make
Media beat up + 1 misfit = forgotten by tomorrow lunchtime
Yup and if we ain’t careful the Greens might be goners. These woke don’t shut the fuck up. Wtf is too centrist anyway? Pfft, if centrists can’t be Greens then I can’t be a Green. What kind of bullshit is this?
The Greens might well have a good democratic structure, and James Shaw may well represent the majority of the present membership, but that still may well constitute a party with a changed philosophy that Mc Donald no longer feels a part of. Greens is just the name. Parties can and are taken over by factions that have different agendas from those that started them and this has happened to the NZ Greens.
D J S
James Shaw doesn’t represent the membership – the budget responsibility rules were his idea and he snuck them in before the membership could have a say – that’s the behavior of a trojan horse.
I’m sure he is well meaning in his attempts to deal with climate change but he is too conditioned to support the established order – he will never look for support from “common” people, which unfortunately is the only source of power that will make the changes that need to be made.
If someone feels a party does not represent them I personally feel standing down makes perfect sense.
As someone who once only voted Green I believe the party looks less like passionate supporters of the environment they once were. Indeed I’m not sure what they actually stand for these says and I say that in all honesty and without rancor.
Lets hope more people vote with their feet if they are not happy and maybe start their own parties. In my view that’s how democracy is supposed to work.
The media found one (and only one) dissatisfied Green Party member. Considering the opposition within the coalition and how difficult it is to achieve Green wins, the party would have to be pretty happy with a defection rate of only one. Of course, it maybe that this one person is in fact a National Party ‘sleeper’, sitting inside the Green Party for the last year or two and waiting for the opportunity to do as much damage as possible.
Although not a member, I am one person quite happy with what the Greens are doing and what they have achieved to date. Of course, more would be wonderful but it is tough with enemies inside and outside the coalition.
Nah, let the Green’s slide. I knew this would be a fairly spineless government but they’ve been even more gutless than anyone would have guessed. There doesn’t seem to be any point in propping them up.
If the Green’s or Labour really wanted to be transformative they would build relationships with the general population and encourage us to hit the streets to back them up. Instead they’re trying to smooth over every capitulation and pretend they are in charge rather than admit they’re up against a powerful beauracracy and other elite forces.
Nothing will change until we the people properly rise up and leave the government no choice but to do the right thing
Gee, who would have thought there would be a difference of opinion within a political party.
A real Green party should be promoting policies that benefit the environment. Full Stop. Regardless of whether those policies are seen as Left, Centre or Right.
National wanted a Kermadec Sanctuary – that was a good thing. Why not support it?
National promoted riparian planting by farmers – another green policy. Why not support it?
The Greens wanted an oil & gas exploration ban – that was bad for the environment, so why did they promote it?
Nuclear is the only base load electricity generator other than hydro that doesn’t emit CO2. So why not support it?
GMO offers the potential to produce more food using less land, thereby creating for space for wildlife. That’s a good thing, so why not support it?
I’d vote Green if that party actually was green!
Gas and exploration ban is BAD for the environment??? What planet are you living on mate?
And to be truly green is to be anti-capitalist, as you cannot green capitalism. Hence the problem with James Shaw. He thinks you can.
Rent to Buy: “Marama. How much will this programme cost? Errrh?? Yes, its a rent to buy scheme. Ok, but Marama. How much will this scheme cost? Errrrh? So you dont know? Yes. Its a rent to buy scheme.” – Sums up the Gween party.
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