SAS vote was an ambush: Alliance official

By AUDREY YOUNG

The Alliance caucus was "ambushed" by Labour and had 30 minutes to make up its mind whether to support Labour's resolution on the war in Afghanistan, says a confidential Alliance council report.

The report was written by Dennis Rockell, of Wairarapa, a party activist and one of the councillors unhappy with the MPs' decision to support the offer of SAS troops to the US-British campaign.

In it he says that if Labour cannot treat the Alliance honourably "then we must rethink our strategy".

Alliance MPs face an internal revolt after they voted on October 3 for a motion offering the SAS soldiers and total support for the United States approach.

Mr Rockell's report and four resolutions obtained by the Herald were discussed in a special council telephone conference call last week.

The caucus should have consulted the council, Mr Rockell says.

However, he accepts "unreservedly that caucus was ambushed by the Labour Party and had half an hour to make up its mind".

His central district region has proposed four motions, including one demanding the "immediate withdrawal of the offer to send SAS troops to Afghanistan".

The motions were not put but have been held in abeyance pending a debate on the war at the Alliance conference in Auckland this weekend.

Mr Rockell concludes: "If the Labour Party cannot deal with us honourably and if the effect of our unwillingness to put MMP at risk means that we are to be undermined continuously and the purpose of MMP is to be undermined, then we must rethink our strategy."

The Alliance will now hold its family feud on the war in open session.

But it is unlikely to demand that the Government withdraw the SAS offer.

The passing of such a resolution at either council or conference level would be an effective vote of no-confidence in the party's MPs and leadership.

A compromise motion is being crafted.

The war debate was to have been held behind closed doors, but the timetable has been rejigged.

Some Alliance sources have suggested it was put into open session so party leader Jim Anderton could not threaten to rethink the Alliance's position in Government, and that it had been timed at 5 pm to avoid getting star billing on the 6 pm television news.

Mr Anderton could not be contacted for comment last night.