The Boss gives the Bloke a 'bollocking' and a hug

John Tamihere emerges from the Labour caucus with Prime Minister Helen Clark. Picture / Fotopress

Prime Minister Helen Clark stunned her caucus with a withering reprimand of John Tamihere yesterday before moving a motion of censure, effectively a final warning to him.

The disgraced MP sat silently with his head bowed throughout her speech, which one experienced member described as the most severe "bollocking" he had witnessed. Another said he was "gobsmacked" by it.

Helen Clark said Mr Tamihere's behaviour in "trashing" his friends and colleagues to a journalist was intolerable.

Before her speech, Mr Tamihere had made an abject apology, saying he had no excuse and the whole incident should never have happened.

The censure motion was then put and passed unanimously.

The pair emerged from the caucus room with Deputy Prime Minister Michael Cullen and Maori Affairs Minister Parekura Horomia, who had joined Mr Tamihere in his office for prayers before the meeting.

Helen Clark read aloud the motion of censure to the media, answered a few questions and said the caucus had sent its love to his partner, Awerangi Durie, and their children.

Mr Tamihere was uncharacteristically brief, saying he welcomed the chance to rehabilitate himself.

The Prime Minister was not entirely critical of him. "In our caucus, actually, everybody likes John," she began. "John at his best is a wonderful colleague and he puts 150 per cent in.

"But John is known to stumble pretty badly and, as he said last week, he made the biggest mistake of his life."

With the statements over, Mr Tamihere headed for a nearby room with a warm guiding hand from Dr Cullen and a kiss on the cheek and brief hug from Helen Clark.

The turmoil over Mr Tamihere has raged for nine days, after Investigate magazine published an article in which he described the Labour Party as being anti-male, anti-family and too heavily influenced by unionists and gays. He also called two colleagues "smarmy" and "a tosser".

The magazine interview was based on a discussion which Mr Tamihere says he believed was off the record.

Views against him hardened on Sunday when Investigate editor Ian Wishart released more comments from the interview. These included remarks about the Holocaust, for which Helen Clark apologised to the Jewish community, and a description of women as "front-bums".

After the initial comments were published, the talk turned to resignation, with Mr Tamihere agreeing with Helen Clark's advice to take extended leave to reflect on his future.

She, Deputy Prime Minister Michael Cullen and party president Mike Williams wanted him to stay away for as long as it took him to accept he was not suited to the disciplines of politics.

But Mr Tamihere did not keep to the script. His daring return to Parliament yesterday and abject apology forced his Labour colleagues to grudgingly accept him back.

The alternative of a messy legal battle to revoke his candidacy in the Auckland Maori seat of Tamaki Makaurau was not acceptable to a Government preparing for an election.

Mr Tamihere's decision to return early to Parliament was seen internally as an act of defiance.

Helen Clark had no option but to defend his right to do so.

"In the end, if someone wants to front up and make a full apology, they should do that."

She later said he had told her he would not put his name forward for the Cabinet if Labour was re-elected this year.

Mr Tamihere is now taking some time off.

But the Prime Minister appeared to suggest he might still reconsider his career choice. She said he had to "work out whether he wanted to commit to the self-discipline which is required to build long-term political careers".

She fielded accusations of weak leadership from NZ First leader Winston Peters. And National deputy leader Gerry Brownlee said she had tolerated offensive and objectionable comments because it was expedient.

Helen Clark: "Taking to people with a piece of four-by-two is not the only form of leadership available."

The censure

" That this caucus severely censure John Tamihere for his grossly offensive comments which run counter to the New Zealand Labour Party's principles, policies of inclusion and respect for all."