Barry Soper: Who wouldn't record Trump's phone call?

So how will the Foreign Affairs boffins analyse what the former Dipton farmer said to the billionaire builder?

If you listen to Prime Minister Bill English, the call he took on the red phone in the back of his Prime Ministerial limo on Waitangi Day from the Oval Office wasn't recorded, which in itself is pretty extraordinary given in politics nuance is everything.

But then, by English's own admission, US President Donald Trump is a man who communicates pretty directly, not bothering with the diplomatic niceties which you'd think would be all the more reason to push the record button.

English says notes were taken, which assumes someone was listening into the call. At one point, recalling the call as Parliament resumed, he initially said it wasn't being eavesdropped on because it was a personal call. But then, in the next breath, he agreed someone was listening in, which would make sense if notes were being taken.

In reality it's nothing more than irritating, trying to establish how these things are handled and how the information in the call could be used to our best advantage. But then Trump's not a man to be held to account for very much that flows through the puckered lips.

Over in the other camp, Andrew Little was doing a fair bit of lip tightening himself when it came to answering questions about his endorsement of the firebrand Willie Jackson as a list candidate for Labour.

That endorsement's caused ructions among MPs, considering not only do they not like many of his views, he's going to be as high on the list as Little's able to get him, which in reality means the former one-term Alliance MP is assured of a place in Parliament.

Little's obviously so keen to have him on board that the rules of the party, when it comes to longevity of membership, will have to be waived for Jackson to qualify for the list.

Jackson's likely to be joined by his former Alliance colleague Laila Haare, who incredibly linked arms with Kim Dotcom at the last election, and who now acknowledges that the association tarnished her image. It seems it's not tarnished enough for be part of the Labour team though.

The selection of the pair would be a further indication that Labour's moving further away from the critical centre of politics, which will be of no concern to Little though - he incredibly refuses to acknowledge it exists!