By Angela Beswick
Troubled MP Chris Carter’s efforts to undermine Labour Party leader Phil Goff may have the opposite effect.
Rather than highlight weakness within the Labour Party, Mr Carter’s actions may have strengthened Mr Goff’s leadership and effectively ended Mr Carter's career.
In an interview with RadioLIVE this morning, political commentator Matthew Hooten said Mr Carter has made a fool of himself.
“It’s done the opposite of what it was meant to achieve,” he said.
“He is going to be expelled from the Labour Party, simply for stupidity.”
An unsigned letter sent to media representatives yesterday attempted to foment a coup against Mr Goff. He was caught when fellow MPs recognised his handwriting on the envelopes.
Read a transcript of Chris Carter's letter
3 News Political Editor Duncan Garner was the recipient of one of the letters and says Mr Carter’s distinctive handwriting was his downfall.
“The Labour Party narrowed it down pretty quickly – you’ve got to remember that guys like Phil Goff have known Chris Carter for 20 years,” he said.
Mr Carter says he doesn't regret what he did and his motives were simply to get the ball rolling.
“I wanted it to be a snowball that started an avalanche,” he said last night, claiming there were others in the caucus who felt the same way – that Labour couldn’t win next year’s election with Mr Goff at the helm.
The movement to eject Mr Carter was a unanimous decision by Labour Party MPs, with Mr Goff describing his actions as stupid and disloyal.
"They were calculated to damage the party and the leadership. That is unacceptable to me and my caucus," Mr Goff said.
"There are no more chances...this was an action of an individual on his own, he has no support and no sympathy from the Labour caucus."
Mr Garner labelled Mr Carter’s actions “idiotic and stupid”.
“I think he’s been exploding in the brain for a number of months now,” Mr Garner said.
“He didn’t see any way he could promote himself to the Labour Party, he’d had enough, didn’t think about it, had no organisation – complete suicide.”
Mr Carter was insisting last night that he believed he had acted in the best interests of the party.
"I think I owe it to the people I represent and the people who voted for our party that we have a leader who can win the election," he said.
The expulsion of Mr Carter can only mean good things for Mr Goff, Mr Hooten says
“This is good for Phil Goff,” he says. “Getting rid of Chris Carter can only strengthen the Labour Party.”
“It’s going to make Goff’s leadership stronger,” says Mr Garner.
“He’s more decisive because he’s been able to say to the country, ‘Look at this idiot out here – he’s gone’.”
The Labour Party will vote next Saturday, August 7, as to whether Mr Carter will be expelled or not.
3 News