Candidate: I won't pull back

By John Armstrong

Labour's Coromandel candidate, Margaret Hawkeswood, warned last night that she would contemplate leaving her party if told to tone down her campaign so the Greens could win the seat.

However, she did not expect the Labour hierarchy to issue such instructions and she remained a serious contender.

She believed Labour was committed to winning the seat and that the Greens would lose.

Her confidence is in marked contrast to the weekend signal given by her leader, Helen Clark, to Labour supporters in the Coromandel seat to cast their constituency vote for the Greens after a poll showing them neck-and-neck with National.

A Sunday Star-Times/UMR Insight poll gave National's sitting MP, Murray McLean, 37 per cent support, with the Greens' Jeanette Fitzsimons on 34 per cent and Margaret Hawkeswood on 15 per cent.

Asked about Helen Clark's signal, Margaret Hawkeswood said it had gone from a clear signal to a nod, and was now only a hint.

"The headlines have been a bit bruisy. Obviously I had some low points over the weekend. But we will gather our threads and go forth."

She had spoken to Helen Clark last week and felt she had the leader's support. They had not talked since.

Helen Clark is refusing to say how Labour supporters should cast their constituency vote.

But she points to polls suggesting that voters are saying the contest is now between Jeanette Fitzsimons and Mr McLean. "We are making a statement of the obvious," she told TV3 last night.

She praised Margaret Hawkeswood for boosting Labour's party vote in Coromandel. "It's important for a candidate to be in there working for that all-important party vote."