BREAKING: Luxon ’tis but a flesh wound’ now mortally wounded as no one prepared to take poisoned chalice that is National Party Leadership
The worst of all outcomes has occurred for National.
After being spooked by bad overnight internal polling coinciding with Luxon’s self mutilation after self mutilation, National have had to to launch another crisis meeting to confirm what everyone already knew, no one wants the poisoned chalice that is the National Party leadership right now.
That leaves Luxon even more mortally wounded than before.
He limps on with everyone knowing he can’t do it and with traitors in his midst.
The next text will be the TVNZ Poll due at 6pm tonight.
Meanwhile the planet burns, the economy falters and Seymour and Winston are laughing all the way to the election.
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Jenna Lynch indicated this morning on Stuff, one of the main signs of Luxon’s inability to read the room is his belief that he is always the smartest person in it.
Labour’s timid reluctance to provide genuine alternatives on economic policy, National will still almost certainly win in November. However, the caucus has just swallowed hard and embraced the grim reality that this victory will be despite Luxon, and not because of him. It will also come with an avoidable number of casualties from within National’s own ranks.
For its part, New Zealand First will be delighted that the drift of social conservative voters from National to NZF will continue, and not be reversed. More than ever, keeping Luxon will now ensure that the next centre-right government will be at the beck and call of Winston Peters.
ACT will also be over the moon, knowing that in the post-election negotiations, it will once again have only Luxon – a proven pushover – standing in the way of ACT making major policy gains. The initial lobbying on Luxon’s behalf by John Key also spoke volumes. Calling in yesterday’s man did nothing to make the case that Luxon is the frontperson that National needs to fix the basics, and build for the future.
https://werewolf.co.nz/2026/08/gordon-campbell-on-nationals-long-whimper-of-discontent/
So, after a three hour emergency caucus meeting, Chris Luxon has emerged to claim that he has the National Party’s full support and that his caucus is united. Which is obviously why he had to have a three hour meeting about it. Which means National will be going into the election with a historically unpopular Prime Minister – unless they change their mind about it next week.
Meanwhile Chris (the other one) will be overjoyed that the political landscape won’t be shaken up after all, and he can continue trying to sleepwalk to victory. It would be nice if he actually put some effort in and tried to win, but he seems to have taken the journalists’ “oppositions don’t win elections; governments lose them” to heart, and interpreted it as meaning he has no agency whatsoever. Which I guess is consistent with his belief that politicians have no agency over the public either, and can’t change hearts and minds – but its awfully disappointing tot he rest of us. And it invites serious questions about why we pay him so much – $309,000 plus rorts and slush – to basically do nothing.
As for Chris and Chris, I guess they’ll be hoping for a National loss. Otherwise, they probably don’t have a place in the post-election Cabinet. Oh dear. How sad.
https://norightturn.blogspot.com/2026/08/chris-wins.html
I suppose this means that the knighthood’s in the bag? After all he is entitled!
Either way, he’ll have plenty of time for holidays in Te Puke after the Election.
Mr Luxon is undoubtedly now walking the “Green Mile” ………………
Ha Ha, he’s sacked the messenger.
Never mind the 5 ‘villains’ Matthew Hooten and Andrea Vance identified.
The only person who comes out of this shambles looking less than disgraceful is Penk, the one who did the counting.
None of the villains would behave like adults and pull the plug. All cowards.
Penk’s not the only one who keeps the score is he?
Shows Luxon’s lack of leadership again, immediately.
This won’t damage Penk’s long term prospects one bit. Finally, someone has stood up and been honest for a change.
look at the picture ,That nasty woman Upston is the only one smiling .So not a happy camp at all and the others know he is telling more lies .
How can we trust them to run our country when they have so many leadership issues and internal bickering. This is the second time they have had to vote to keep their leader not exactly a ringing endorsement for leadership.
Again the faces/eyes say it all. Of course no-one wants to be the leader of this mish-mash of egotistical no-hopers! BUT Luxon has read this as a WIN for him and ‘absolute’ consolidation of his position as PM – “Our caucus is united”! That’s how dumb he really is. They should never have left that room without calling a snap election – what the hell sort of brains do they have or are they brainless? Need we say more? Imagine what more damage this inept lot can inflict. Already the lies are being printed on pamphlets, in social media and on bill-boards while our mealy-mouthed media watch in silence – total corruption is rife in the CoC and our news media.
Why should they call a snap election? Even with a new leader they could still have majority in the house, along with the coalition partners. The only way a snap election would be required would be for one of the coalition parties to walk away from government.
Yay!
On behalf of the current opposition and for a better future, I’m delighted that they didn’t dump Dumpty.
Roll on, Uncle Fester from Unilever, roll on.
Great news for the opposition.
The Leaders ratings is a waste of time in the run up to the general election. Both main contenders are unpopular and unlikely to improve up to November 7.
It’s a bloody awful state of affairs and shows how none of these people can inspire any confidence now or after the election.
It’s not that no one is prepared Martyn, it’s that no one is capable, that’s how inept the National party is and that is truly saying something based on the pathetic Luxon. This has John Key written all over it, without Key Luxon wouldn’t have survived. What this also tells us is that both Seymour and Peter’s have been running(ruining) the country.
The National Party has other MPS capable of leading which puts them in a better place than Labour who have a failed leader with no policies of worth after 3 years of sitting on the side line
Pull the other one Trevor. Cost of living crisis and National are talking about raising excise tax on petrol and impacting people who are struggling. He won’t tax those who wouldn’t notice. At least Labour announced a public transport policy that would make a real difference to a significant number of people ( and more if people switch to public transport). People who actually work for a living. National and this coalition are fing useless to the majority
Bugger! I was hoping Maureen Pugh would step into the breach, so to speak.
Still, it’s immensely reassuring that Luxon is the best the Natz have got!
Seeing reports that her longterm ally Simeon stabbed her in the back. SAD!