Tim Dower: The cracks are beginning to show in the Government

Jacinda Ardern’s off-mic, but not quite far enough off-mic, comment in the House yesterday betrays just how rattled the Government’s front bench has become.

I doubt it was anything to do with the Curia poll, which put Labour off by another two points and National up another one.

It was possibly more to do with having to give in after holding out, inexplicably, for so long on green-listing the nurses for residency.

Maybe it was something to do with the Nanaia Mahuta contracts report? Maybe some simmering irritation over the Three Waters entrenchment? By the way, that's Nanaia again.

Probably there’s a growing realisation that there’s no more Covid money to use to patch up other holes in Government policy, or anything left to sweeten the pot ahead of the next election.

Maybe it was Barry Soper’s cheeky sinking ship question over the MP's not standing for re-election? Or perhaps it was being pressed on what happens to the fuel excise relief after January 31st?

So perhaps David Seymour’s swipe in the debate was just the straw that broke the camel’s back. And it’s obvious the Prime Minister is under a great deal of pressure right now.

You could barely hear it, but barely was enough, calling Seymour such an arrogant... well, you know the word, as she sat down.

A moment’s frustration that, who knows, might be said often about Seymour or maybe others behind closed doors.

I’m sure Mr Seymour will be, quietly, fairly pleased with the result. He got under the Prime Minister’s skin.

And frankly, for the Prime Minister to be calling anyone arrogant right now, is a bit pot-kettle.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.