John MacDonald: The main reason Luxon should stay

Christopher Luxon is at risk of sounding a bit like Joe Biden.

You’ll remember the former US president bungled that election debate with Donald Trump and then people started calling for him to go and he said he wasn’t standing down.

Christopher Luxon sounded a bit like that when he was on Newstalk ZB on Friday afternoon and this morning.

He said he was “absolutely not” considering standing down. That the only thing he was thinking about was the future of our kids and grandkids.

I think he’s absolutely right not to be thinking about standing down. Not that I think his colleagues won’t try to roll him. That could happen. And, when I heard him on Friday, I wondered whether his denial of having any thoughts about standing down was a message for us or a message for his caucus.

I’m in no doubt he was talking to his colleagues. Telling them very publicly that he’s not going anywhere.

He said he has no idea where the talk about him considering his future came from. He also said “hand on heart” he will still be Prime Minister and leader of the National Party when this year’s election comes around.

So not considering his future in the slightest. Nor should he.

While I don’t think he’s anywhere near the best prime minister we’ve ever had nor the best leader National has ever had, he’s not the worst of a pretty average bunch.

Over the weekend, a poll came out saying that 51 percent of people want to see a new leader of the National party. But that same poll showed that the likes of Erica Stanford’s star has faded a bit with voters.

The other thing too with her and other names mentioned, such as Mark Mitchell is that, while they have impressed people with their portfolio work, do you reckon they’d be any good at being across everything?

Could you imagine Mark Mitchell or Erica Stanford talking about inflation with any great authority? Chris Bishop would probably be the most credible on that front.

Another reason why I think Luxon should stay, is that this is his moment to show that he can hold a steady course when things hit the fan. It’s his chance to show that he can keep a team together when things are going a bit pear-shaped.

Reason number three: the last thing this country needs right now is more turbulence. There’s enough going on. Changing prime minister is way different than Labour changing leader back in 2017 when it was in Opposition.

If Chrisopher Luxon is the leader he seems to think he is, then he’ll ignore all that noise. Not for his sake. But for the sake of the country.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Canterbury Mornings podcast with John McDonald
from Newstalk Z'B.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
Not sure what happened with the black Caps and the
T twenty World Cup Final this morning. Chris Bishop was there,
maybe he jinxed it. India were superb though. As for
the Crusaders and the Blues, not the result we were
hoping for. Chris Bishop wasn't there, so we can't blame
him for that one. Speaking of Chris Bishop at seven
and a half past nine, I reckon his boss, Christopher Luckson.

(00:35):
I reckon he's at risk of sounding a bit like
Joe Biden. You'll remember the former US president bungled that
election debate with Donald Trump and then people started calling
for him to stand down, and he said, no, no, no,
I'm not standing you down. I'm definitely the best person
of the job. I'm not going anywhere. Well, Christopher Luckson
sounded a bit like that when he was on with
Heather on Friday afternoon and Mike this morning. He said

(00:59):
he was quote absolutely not considering standing down. That the
only thing he was thinking about was the future of
our kids and grandkids. And I think he is absolutely
right not to be thinking about standing down, Not because
I like the guy. I'll tell you why shortly, Not
that I think his colleagues won't try to roll him either,

(01:20):
by the way, I mean that could happen. And when
I heard him on Friday, I wondered whether his denial
of having any thoughts about standing down was a message
for us or do you think it was a message
for his caucus, in his cabinet colleagues. I'm in no
doubt he was talking to them. He wasn't talking to us.
He was talking to them, telling them very publicly that
he's not going anywhere, despite the Pole result, despite his communication,

(01:44):
challenges regarding the war in Iran, all of that. And
then he said the exact same thing to Mike this morning.
He said he has no idea whether talk about him
considering his future came from. He said this pressure in
his job every day. He didn't seem to say specifically
that he isn't under pressure to stand down. I think

(02:04):
he's fluffing that a little bit. But when Mike asked him,
he said, hand on heart, he will be Prime Minister
and he will be leader of the National Party when
the election comes around in November. So there you go
not considering his future in the slightest and nor should
he for several reasons. First of all, while I don't

(02:25):
think he's anywhere near the best prime minister we've ever had,
nor the best leader Nationals ever had, he's not the
worst of a pretty bad bunch. I mean. Over the
weekend a poll came out. Yeah, another poll came out
saying that fifty one percent of people want to see
a new leader of the National Party. But that saying
pole showed that the likes of Erica Stamford, who people say, well,

(02:47):
she could be the next leader, well, her star seems
to have faded a bit with voters. The other thing too,
with her and some of the other names that get mentioned,
such as Mark Mitchell, etc. While they impress people with
their portfolio work, and there's no doubt there, do you
reckon they'd be any good at being across everything. I'll
give an example. Could you imagine Mark Mitchell or Erica

(03:08):
Stamford talking about inflation with any grave authority. Chris Bishop
would probably be the most credible on that front. The
other reason I think Luxton should stay is that this
is his moment to show that he can hold a
steady course when things hit the fan, it's his chance
to show that he can keep a team together when

(03:28):
things are going a bit pear shaped. And do we
need to see that? Don't we need to see that
true leadership prom him? Reason number three? The last thing
this country needs right now is more turbulence. I mean, lordie,
there's enough going on, isn't there. Changing prime minister is
way different too than Labour changing leader back in twenty
seventeen when it was in opposition. They tell that to

(03:49):
the commentators and the press gallery journalists though, who when
they seem to love the idea of the Prime minister
stepping down, that's because they love the sport of it.
But I'll tell you what, if Christopher Luxen is the
leader he seems to think he is, then he will
ignore all that noise, not for his sake, but for
the sake of the country. But what do you think

(04:11):
he should.

Speaker 1 (04:11):
Do for more From Category Mornings with John McDonald. Listen
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