May 22, 2020
Bridges’ ousting blow to tribe
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Fellow tribesman Willie Jackson says the loss of Simon Bridges as National Party leader will be felt with great sadness by Ngāti Maniapoto.
Mr Bridges and his deputy Paula Bennett were today ousted by Todd Muller and Nikki Kay as National MPs panicked at polls showing the party dropping below 30 per cent voter support.
The Labour MP says it’s always a tough job leading an Opposition after losing power, but Māori were proud to see two Māori leading a major political party.
"I think people from my tribe of Ngāti Maniapoto will be watching closely because they may not even be National Party people but Simon is still theirs and I think there's a generosity sometimes that we show amongst our own that is not shown across the general seats," Mr Jackson says.
Willie Jackson says Simon Bridges’ demise comes just days after he dismissed the trustworthiness of internal polls showing Labour at 55 per cent support.
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