We don't agree with his full analysis (which contains a bit too much of the fanciful thinking circulating around Heather Simpson's office at present), but John Armstrong's column in the NZ Herald is worth a read today as it focusses on the extent that Labour is prepared to go to play divide and rule within Maoridom with the hope of retaining at least a couple of the Maori seats (we agree fully with John's comment that "the bottom line for Labour is that National is the party that benefits from the Maori Party's presence in Parliament.
The equation is simple. The Maori Party takes votes off Labour.
The fewer seats the Maori Party wins, the harder it may be for National to govern, if the next Parliament is finely balanced between the centre-left and centre-right."
Armstrong is analysing the implications of Tuesday's foreshore and seabed deal between Ngati Porou and the Crown.
