Editorial: Labour in time of peril

Cunliffe has been roundly criticised for resigning as leader but then deciding to contest the leadership. Photo / NZH

David Cunliffe handled himself well during the televised leaders' debates prior to the election. He was a good match for Prime Minister John Key and appeared a seasoned campaigner.

But, as we know, it didn't work.

Instead, Labour suffered its worst election defeat in 92 years. It was an embarrassing loss but it is easy to blame the defeat solely on Cunliffe. The party was hammered in the party vote which reflects a general disillusionment with the party and its MPs, who have lost their way after years of cloak-and-dagger politics and infighting, and a lack of strong leadership.

The party needs to recognise this if it is to have any hope of winning back support. There are few signs this has happened in the immediate aftermath of the election. The party also needs to ensure it completes its full review of what went wrong and seek answers.

Cunliffe has been roundly criticised for resigning as leader but then deciding to contest the leadership. The decision has destabilised the party even further and the caucus needs to assess whether his decision is based on self-interest or a determination to resurrect Labour as a political force.

His actions post-election - the ill-judged email sent on election night rallying support and the resignation that came a bit too late - have provided more ammunition for his detractors.

The revelation that his wife set up an anonymous Twitter account to attack his rivals must have been hugely embarrassing for the Cunliffe camp.

If the party decides he is not the man for the job then it needs to find a strong successor and this will be no easy task. Grant Robertson has been touted as a possible leader but seems to lack the spark required to lead the party out of the quagmire it is in. Or should it be looking for a fresh face, like Jacinda Adern?

The party has struggled to find a leader who can win public support since the departure of Helen Clark after Labour's 2008 defeat. It is worth noting that she herself failed to to win the 1996 election before leading the Labour Party to a sweeping victory in 1999, so it is possible for a leader to claw their way back after an election loss.

Labour is about to face perhaps its biggest decision. Can it choose someone to lead it to glory - or will it ultimately implode?