MPs have headed off on the campaign trail with one last blast at their rivals, a couple of gags, and a few contrary thank-yous, including Bill English thanking Labour and Kim Dotcom for their contributions to National's re-election effort.
Speaking in the adjournment debate, English began in a serious mood, talking up the record of the National Government. Happily he was distracted by an interjection and got into the real business. He misfired at first, having a joke at the expense of Murray McCully, whose staff had failed to open an email advising that a Malaysian diplomat would invoke immunity. Mr English thanked his staff, saying their jobs included "making sure every email is opened".
English finally remembered his real target: "I want to thank the Labour Party for dumping David Shearer. By now he would have been really good. I want to thank them also for selecting David Cunliffe. As he said himself, 'people will make up their minds when they get to know me'. And they've got to know him."
His next thank you went to National's arch-nemesis, Kim Dotcom. "For a man who set out to rid this country of John Key he is doing more than anyone except David Cunliffe to make sure John Key stays."
Cunliffe responded with a reminder of the 21 per cent National achieved in 2002 under English's leadership. "And I want to extend the hand of friendship to Steven Joyce because he and I have something in common. Neither of us want to see Judith Collins as Prime Minister."
