Labours list

Updated
Labour released its list today, and has nearly twice as many list only candidates in the top 40 than National does. National has just two new list only candidates in its top 60. Labour has three in its top 25.

Rajen Prasad is number 12, London-based Jacinda Arden is number 20, and Raymond Huo is at number 21. Following them are Carmel Sepuloni at 35 and at 36, Stuart Nash, who may miss out because they are too low on the list to get into Parliament.

All are list only because nobody will elect them as candidates, just like Margaret Wilson. Phil Twyford, at 26, is the highest-ranking non-MP who is contesting an electorate seat. At 28, Carol Beaumont is contesting Maungakiekie and at 29, Kelvin Davis is contesting Te Tai Tokerau.

So in the top 40 in Labour's list, just three new candidates are contesting seats. And two current ones are list only - Cullen at 2 and Choudhary at 31. Hardly democratic rejuvenation if, of the top 25, all the new candidates are to get a free ride into Parliament whether you like it or not. At least the others are standing for the contestable vote.

I predict that only MPs in the top 30 will get into Parliament without winning a seat conditional on George Hawkins and Ross Robinson winning seats. Both are not on the list. So Russell Fairbrother, Mark Burton, Rick Barker and Judith Tizard are gone. Louisa Wall is gone too and that'll reduce the lesbian quota. Harry Dynhoven is gone, he's not on the list.

Jordon Carter is at 71. What has he to say about that? And according to Labour's media release, there are two listed as 74,two listed as 77, and two listed as 78 and Leslie Soper, sitting MP is third to bottom of the list.

Can't Labour do lists of numbers and have MPs alongside different numbers in rank order? After all, this is ummm.. a list.

Update 4pm Gee that was quick, they altered the numbering on the list and have sent out the correct list now.Jordan Carter will be pleased, he's gone up a place to number 70. Leslie Soper is now 44 on the list.