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RNZ News
a day ago
- Politics
- RNZ News
Te Pāti Māori announces Ikaroa-Rāwhiti candidate
Te Pāti Māori candidate Haley Maxwell. Photo: Supplied Te Pāti Māori has announced Haley Maxwell will stand for next year's general election - for the one Māori seat currently held by Labour. Maxwell helped organise the Hīkoi mō te Tiriti in the region last year. "Haley Maxwell spearheaded the historic Hīkoi mō Te Tiriti from Te Tairāwhiti right through to Kahungunu. Haley embodies the fierce compassion and courage that Ikaroa-Rāwhiti is famous for" Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi said in a written statement. "She has stood on the marae, in the courts and on the streets for our people. Parliament will be a stronger house with her voice echoing the roar of Te Tairāwhiti." The statement described Maxwell as a wāhine Māori, māmā and nanny whose life's work centred on rangatahi justice, reo revitalisation and tangata-whenua drive community development. It said her campaign would focus on "tackling sky-high food costs, unaffordable housing, and low incomes across Ikaroa-Rāwhiti, while championing Te Pāti Māori's justice, housing, and mana motuhake policies". The party did not respond to questions about the timing of the announcement during a by-election for Tamaki-Makaurau, which Labour is also contesting. In a statement, Labour's MP for Ikaroa-Rāwhiti, Cushla Tangaere-Manuel, said the region deserved choices. "I acknowledge the Te Pāti Māori candidate announcement of Hayley Maxwell, and commend her for putting herself forward," she said. "Ikaroa-Rāwhiti deserves to have choices and will ultimately choose their voice in Parliament. In the meantime it's my honour to continue to serve the region." Te Pāti Māori has announced Haley Maxwell will stand for next year's general election - for the one Māori seat currently held by Labour. Maxwell helped organise the Hīkoi mō te Tiriti in the region last year. "Haley Maxwell spearheaded the historic Hīkoi mō Te Tiriti from Te Tairāwhiti right through to Kahungunu. Haley embodies the fierce compassion and courage that Ikaroa-Rāwhiti is famous for" Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi said in a written statement. "She has stood on the marae, in the courts and on the streets for our people. Parliament will be a stronger house with her voice echoing the roar of Te Tairāwhiti." The statement described Maxwell as a wāhine Māori, māmā and nanny whose life's work centred on rangatahi justice, reo revitalisation and tangata-whenua drive community development. It said her campaign would focus on "tackling sky-high food costs, unaffordable housing, and low incomes across Ikaroa-Rāwhiti, while championing Te Pāti Māori's justice, housing, and mana motuhake policies". The party did not respond to questions about the timing of the announcement during a by-election for Tamaki-Makaurau, which Labour is also contesting. In a statement, Labour's MP for Ikaroa-Rāwhiti, Cushla Tangaere-Manuel, said the region deserved choices. "I acknowledge the Te Pāti Māori candidate announcement of Hayley Maxwell, and commend her for putting herself forward," she said. "Ikaroa-Rāwhiti deserves to have choices and will ultimately choose their voice in Parliament. In the meantime it's my honour to continue to serve the region." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Malay Mail
2 days ago
- Politics
- Malay Mail
‘Just like football, can't rely on the sole striker': Johari urges Umno team unity ahead of GE16
SHAH ALAM, July 27 — UMNO members have been advised to continue working as a team, which is free from internal squabbles, in preparation for the next general election. UMNO vice-president Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani said the formation of a machinery as a solid team could prove decisive towards achieving success in the general election. 'In football, when we play against another team, you can't just rely on one striker. If you only have one performing striker, while the rest are not, it'll be difficult. So, we must play as a team. 'If the team is right, solid and has no squabbles, particularly in facing the general election, Insya-Allah, 50 per cent of the battle is won. The others depend on issues cropping up in the government and the country,' he said after officiating the Shah Alam UMNO Division delegates meeting here today. Johari, also the Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities, advised UMNO members to consider the views of the younger generation, in particular, who form 40 per cent of the total number of voters nationwide. 'They have a very different thinking compared to our ancestors. This happens globally when our audience, who are 18 years old, can automatically become voters. 'If we, as a party, cannot understand the thinking of our youngsters, how are we going to cultivate and constantly produce young leaders who understand?… our problems will be bigger next time. Commenting on the statement by opposition leader Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin yesterday that the opposition is considering tabling a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in Parliament, Johari said each Member of Parliament (MP) has the right to do so. 'In this Parliament, any MP can table that motion (of no-confidence). Nobody can stop it. 'So, the motion is tabled in Parliament… then we will see who has the support and who hasn't. Parliament will determine this,' said the Titiwangsa MP. — Bernama
Telegraph
5 days ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
Kemi Badenoch's reshuffle has done nothing to energise the Tory brand
SIR – Reform UK's recent fiscal swerve to the Left opened up a space on the Right for Kemi Badenoch to grab. She could have achieved this through her changes to the shadow cabinet (report, July 23). Instead, she chose to invite the arch-liberal centrist and aspiring Conservative leader Sir James Cleverly back into the tent. Bob Lyddon Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk SIR – Sir James Cleverly is a well-known Tory wet and supports Britain's membership of the European Convention on Human Rights. His promotion by Kemi Badenoch confirms that the Conservative Party has learnt nothing from its crushing general election defeat. David Saunders Sidmouth, Devon SIR – Sir James Cleverly's return to the shadow cabinet not only highlights Kemi Badenoch's lack of political flair and vision, but also confirms beyond any doubt that the Tories are a spent force. Let us not forget that it was Sir James who, as foreign secretary, naively reopened the Chagos dossier – among other blunders. Jean Maigrot London SW6 SIR – I have had many conversations with fellow Conservative Party members since last year's bruising defeat. Even now, more than 12 months on, there remains widespread dismay at some of the decisions made during our time in government – and, in many quarters, outright anger at the lack of decisive action taken on a host of issues that matter deeply to voters. To stand any chance of regaining power, the party will need to put forward an unapologetically bold and wide-ranging set of policies that address public concerns. The problem is that I simply can't see it happening. And if I – a paid-up member of the party – feel this way, I struggle to see how we can expect to win back the confidence of the wider electorate. James Luke Steeple Ashton, Wiltshire SIR – The existence of a Right and a Left in the Conservative Party, split over matters such as the ECHR, is a fundamental barrier to its recovery. It's all very well being a broad church, but the party consists of too many agnostics and atheists. No leader can square this circle. The answer is not to keep changing the leader, but to change the party and reset it according to conservative values. This would mean a significant slice of the parliamentary party moving elsewhere. Currently, the Conservatives are offering no alternative to Reform UK, never mind opposition to the Labour Government. Another harmful tax SIR – You report (July 22) Angela Rayner's suggestion that councils should be able to tax visitors' hotel stays in order to cash in on Britain's tourism industry. This is both dispiriting and completely unsurprising. The Labour administration seems to have no other idea than to levy extra taxes, oblivious to, or unconcerned about, the economic damage such short-term expedients are likely to cause. Mart Ralph Salisbury, Wiltshire SIR – The focus on a 'tourist tax' is a red herring when the 20 per cent VAT rate on hospitality and tourism services already creates a significant tax burden. All the major European destinations have much lower VAT rates than the UK. Adding a new tourist tax, on top of our high VAT, would be a devastating blow to our competitiveness. It would deter visitors, hurt local businesses, and ultimately reduce the total tax revenue generated by tourism. Instead of considering new taxes, we should focus on creating a more competitive tax environment that supports our hospitality and tourism sectors. Kate Nicholls Chairman, UKHospitality London WC1 Orgreave inquiry SIR – I am a blue-collar trade unionist and I agree that the country doesn't need an inquiry into the Battle of Orgreave (Letters, July 23). If the Left were real friends of trade unionists they would be pressing for a revival of at least a niche coal-mining sector in the UK, to include coking coal mines in Cumbria and South Wales. This industry could support our defence industry and green technology, given that railways, nuclear plants and wind turbines need high-grade steel – and high-grade steel needs coking coal. John Barstow Pulborough, West Sussex SIR – I was a young district nurse in 1984, and as such had to travel past Longannet power station in Kincardine, Fife, to visit an elderly lady to administer her insulin injection. However, 'Arthur's Army' of Yorkshire miners parked their bus across the lane I needed to access. Though my Mini clearly stated 'Fife Health Board', a baying crowd of men started to rock my car backward and forward, and stand in my way across the road. Terrified and alone, I put my foot down and accelerated away, running over several toes. So don't tell me police used undue force in their attempt to clear the strikers. Taught a lesson SIR – John Frankel (Letters, July 22) asks when schools became political. I was at boarding school in the early 1960s, and by far the best teacher taught history. Unfortunately, one of our history trips included a visit to a friend's house, where we were shown a promotional film for the 'ban the bomb' movement. We were left in no doubt that our teachers agreed with the views shown. Once a few parents became aware of this, the history teacher was sacked. Rachel Jameson-Till Etchingham, East Sussex SIR – During a lesson at the local grammar school I attended in the 1970s, the English mistress stated that The Daily Telegraph should be closed down. Adrian Bone Cranbrook, Kent Unrest in Essex SIR – It is worrying that Essex police have admitted escorting members of the pro-migrant activist group Stand Up to Racism to an asylum hotel at the centre of days of unrest (report, July 23). This group has shown that there are people in this country who think the influx of illegal immigrants should be condoned and supported. The unrest has nothing to do with racism, but much to do with criminality on a massive scale – worthy of widespread condemnation. Meanwhile, ministers appear to think they can stop the boats with words alone. I fear for my country. Carole Doggett Milford, Hampshire Today gets tough SIR – The newest Today programme presenter, Anna Foster, is a welcome addition, combining excellent knowledge and forthright interviewing. Prior to her arrival there had been an increase in petty pleasantries and personal chatter between presenters. Her recent lambasting of David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, was a brilliant example. Long may she continue to outwit political interviewees, who are too often let off the hook when they fail to respond to direct questions with straight answers. Dr Paul Veale Bath, Somerset Seaside Shakespeare SIR – There was a magical moment at a performance of Macbeth at the Minack open-air theatre in Cornwall one lovely summer's evening (Letters, July 22). The trees of Birnam Wood arrived by boat across the sea, with the actors brandishing large branches before coming ashore for battle. Wonderful. Pam Booth Hathersage, Derbyshire SIR – When a local cinema announced it would be showing a film of Romeo and Juliet, the school at which I then taught welcomed the opportunity to clarify the meaning of any parts that some pupils might have found difficult to understand. I remember thinking it was a rather disjointed version of the play. The reason for this became clear when the boy next to me exclaimed: 'Ey, sir – I thought he was dead.' He should have been. It was Tybalt. The reels were being shown in the wrong order. Hartlepool, Co Durham Girlguiding traditions worth keeping alive SIR – I have mixed feelings about the introduction of 72 new badges to be awarded to members of the Girlguiding movement (report, July 22), including ones to recognise having a good night's sleep, laughter and dancing. It is right that Guides move with the times, that badges reflect important issues of today, and that there is something to interest all girls. However, as a movement we should not forget our history, values and skills acquired over 125 years. When I became a Guide they were called proficiency badges, and we learnt new skills and improved others. We had to earn them and were proud to receive one. The Guide movement should march forward without forgetting its heritage and raison d'être. Christine Doughty Nottingham The pensions time bomb has already gone off SIR – When I was an actuarial student in 1988, the firm I worked for produced a paper entitled 'The Pensions Time Bomb', examining the unsustainable funding model of the Basic State Pension (where today's workers pay, via taxation, for today's pensions) and the decline in final-salary pension schemes. The key message was that, if urgent action was not taken, the pensions system would be broken within 25 years. This did not anticipate Gordon Brown removing the dividend tax relief on pension schemes in 1997, which only accelerated the decline in final-salary schemes. Today, almost the only people to benefit from such generous pensions are public sector workers. The Basic State Pension was set up in 1946, when retirement typically lasted only about five years. Today it can last well in excess of 20. We were concerned about these issues 40 years ago, and I find it deeply depressing to hear that Liz Kendall, the Work and Pensions Secretary, is only thinking about tinkering with the current system (report, July 22) many years after our predicted 'pensions time bomb' has exploded. Ian MacGregor London N2 SIR – I allowed myself a rueful smile when I read that the Government wants people to pay more into their pension funds (report, July 21). I am now 79 years old, and paid into a pension from the age of 18. Unfortunately, chancellors of all political stripes seem to regard pension funds as their personal piggy banks, to be robbed as and when required – a trend started by Geoffrey Howe in the 1980s and continued by Gordon Brown in 1997. Letters to the Editor We accept letters by email and post. Please include name, address, work and home telephone numbers. ADDRESS: 111 Buckingham Palace Road, London, SW1W 0DT EMAIL: dtletters@ FOLLOW: Telegraph Letters @LettersDesk
Fox News
5 days ago
- Politics
- Fox News
DAVID MARCUS: Why socialist NYC mayoral candidate's Uganda trip makes surprising sense
DemocratIc Party nominee for New York City mayor, Zohran Mamdani has been at the center of a political firestorm since his shock victory in the primary last month, and faced with mounting questions about his communist past, he's doing what leftists always do, running away and not answering questions. In this case to the African nation of Uganda where Mamdani was born. The socialist wonderboy's campaign swears that this ten-day excursion in the middle of the general election has nothing to do with politics, Mamdani and his wife are just celebrating their wedding, again, and if you believe that, I have a bridge to sell you that Zohran may be mayor of soon. The obvious political move being made here is to hide Mamdani, at least until the end of the month, and this isn't the first time. Last week, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, D-N.Y., brought Zohran to Washington DC to meet with Congressional Democrats in what turned into a laughable moment of cloak and dagger, here is how Fox News Digital described it: "Ocasio-Cortez and Mamdani were scheduled to host the 8 a.m. breakfast at the National Democratic Club. While the Democratic National Committee (DNC) is located right next door to where Wednesday's breakfast is being held, the DNC said it was not involved with the event. Minutes before the breakfast was scheduled to start, the location was moved to a restaurant a few blocks away." Reports indicate that the windows to the place were blacked out and that Zohran quietly exited out of a backdoor. What clearly happened here was that most Democrats in Congress, very wisely, didn't want a photo op with the most radioactive "Democratic Socialist" on the current political scene. In fact, in New York, political ads tying Democrats to Mamdani are already running. Zany Zohran is hightailing it out of, not just Gotham, but America, without the coveted endorsement of either House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, or Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, even both are also from New York City. And that underlines the point, these guys don't want to talk about Mamdani and a future Democrat party dedicated to seizing the means of production and abolitioning prisons, no Democrat who isn't a member of the Squad wants to. Serious Democrats understand that Mamdani is not some generational political talent, or the next Obama, he is a boilerplate archetype that Democrat Socialists use over and over, young, charismatic, edgy, social media savvy, and non-white. Examples of this DSA type abound, Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX), Minneapolis mayoral candidate Omar Fateh, Illinois Congressional candidate Kat Abughazaleh, and of course the trendsetter herself, AOC. The DSA and other George Soros backed operations excel at winning primaries in deep blue areas with young, far left candidates like those above, but what they don't do, ever, is win competitive general elections. The idea is supposed to be that once the Democratic primary is won, no Republican can win, so the socialist skates to victory, almost every wacko district attorney in our major cities came to power exactly this way. And this is the real reason Mamdani ran away to Uganda, just as Kamala Harris was hidden away when she became the presidential nominee last year because she had no defense for the Biden administration, so too, Zohran has no explanation for being a full blown communist ten minutes ago. While the hide behind the couch strategy failed for Harris, she was running against Donald Trump, Zohran is luckier and running against Eric Adams, an unpopular mayor, Andrew Cuomo, a disgraced former governor, and Curtis Sliwa, a legendary New Yorker, but also known best for his beret and love of cats. If all three of Mamdani's rivals remain in the race then the socialist will be able to hide his way to Gracie Mansion and control of America's greatest city, maybe he does one debate, goes on a few lefty podcasts, that will be enough. 10 days in far-flung Uganda, out of the blue, is the beginning of this strategy, even if Mamdani claims the trip is to celebrate his marriage and troll the supposed racists, mostly actually anonymous X accounts, saying he should go back to Africa. If, on the other hand, the three claimants to the right to take on Mamdani can settle it and get behind one candidate by September, then Zohran might actually be forced to run on his record and past statements, something no Democrat Socialist ever wants to do. For now, even when Mamdani gets back from his African Adventure, expect him to remain quiet, because unless and until he is facing one, serious challenger, hiding him in the basement is almost certain to secure him victory.
BBC News
6 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Kemi Badenoch aims to add heft - and name recognition
How many members of the shadow cabinet can you name? It's a game even Westminster journalists are known to play. For a party that was hammered in last year's general election and scythed down in size to just 120 MPs, rebuilding a public presence and getting a hearing from voters was never going to be an easy task for the Conservative Party. But eight months into her tenure as Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has decided it's time to make some modest changes to her shadow cabinet and refresh her top now? Well, it was widely thought that Edward Argar was anxious to step down from his role as shadow health secretary because of recent illness and that departure was confirmed this morning. It's an important brief that required a new appointment. But Badenoch has chosen to use this moment, just before MPs leave Westminster for the summer recess, to bring some fresh heft to her top most eye-catching appointment is Sir James Cleverly's return to the Tory front recently made a speech warning the Conservatives against trying to ape the policies of Reform UK. In the Conservative party Sir James is considered a strong communicator and he will now have the role of shadowing the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Angela Rayner. She's the deputy prime minister too and Sir James's appointment shows the importance Badenoch places on shadowing the major housing brief and taking on Rayner in the Commons. Compared to some on the Tory front bench, he is a centrist Conservative, sceptical about the arguments for leaving the European Convention of on Human Rights. That's an issue that splits opinion in the Tory party and is currently the focus of an internal review. James Cleverly's voice in that debate will now carry more expected changes include Kevin Hollinrake becoming Conservative Party chairman and Stuart Andrew taking on the shadow health brief. There may be more, but this looks set to be a limited shake-up. Mel Stride will remain shadow chancellor and Robert Jenrick, the runner-up in last year's Tory leadership, contest will stay as shadow justice has proved adept at making a splash on social media - including running after fare-dodging Tube travellers - and some have wondered whether he has ever really stopped campaigning for the party has repeatedly shrugged off questions from reporters about whether he is still after her in April, if she should rein Jenrick in for writing articles and making speeches that went beyond his brief, she said it was "fine" for shadow cabinet members "to talk about things that are in the advancement of the Conservative Party".With her party currently third, or even fourth, in the national opinion polls, the Conservatives need all the attention they can - as he showed at last year's Tory conference when his pitch for the leadership wowed the party faithful - Sir James is capable of grabbing headlines.A few stories at this year's conference about her former leadership rivals seeking to upstage her may be the price Badenoch has to pay for getting her party noticed. Sign up for our Politics Essential newsletter to keep up with the inner workings of Westminster and beyond.
