Twitter 2014: Left! Left, right, left!

Labour leader David Cunliffe. Photo / Doug Sherring

Should the Labour Party shift left? Or right? All manner of advice is being given to Labour in the Twittersphere after its disastrous election result and Cunliffe's resignation yesterday, followed by his announcement he was standing for re-election.

@josiepagani argues that: "Labour candidates who did well campaigned on core labour values - jobs, higher wages, hope. They were popular. Party needs to learn from them."

From the party's right, @philquin says: "The real contest within Labour isn't left v right, it's open v closed, narrow v broad, status quo v change," and he demands: "Encourage dissent, embrace debate."

From the left, @seann-nz makes related points: "Stop trying to be centre, end the perceived gay/feminist influence, stop compromising. Be left wing or end the party."

Reaction to this has been scathing from social liberals.

@MorganGodfery says such advice means "be more bigoted than the other guys".

Moving Labour away from its perceived special interest focus is seen as reactionary - Giovanni Tiso (@gtiso): "Most worrying of all though is the idea Labour shouldn't be a vehicle for progressive politics. That's not even National Lite: it's National."

And sarcastically: "Also: women? It's your fault Labour lost. Hope you're happy now. We need to bring back social conservative males like, um, Helen Clark."

The Phoenix Foundation's @samuelfscott scorned the advice to ditch more left wing policies: "If a left wing party thinks it needs to be right wing in order to win an election does that party then even need to exist?"

Some don't believe the different factions can be contained anymore.

@BillyRalston pronounced: "Forecast: Labour will eventually split into a classic left party and a more centrist 2nd party. Only way this one can work out."

Twitter has almost been united on Labour needing change that goes beyond leadership. @DebsMahutaCoyle says: "I'll be so disappointed if afta labour decides to endorse/not endorse Cunliffe we just go back to status quo. Problem not solved."

Or to put it more abstractly, satirist Dave Armstrong (@malosilima) suggested: "Bulb blew in bathroom again. Obviously an electrical problem. Could call electrician but easier just to change leader."

So who could step in from out of nowhere to match John Key?

Warwick Rasmussen (@beanbiz) had the answer: "Labour electorate by-election, new MP elected, fast-tracked to leader. His name: Max Key. What a storyline for #decision17!"