Editorial: If not Cunliffe - who?

David Cunliffe. Photo / Stephen Parker

I'll be honest, there's always been something about David Cunliffe that never really appealed.

He always seemed a bit preachy and cliched and didn't have the leadership qualities that I would be proud of as a prime minister of our country.

But the night before the election, he was on the Paul Henry Show and nearly won me over. He was laid-back (probably from exhaustion) and quirky. He was also doing a crazy pirate's accent in a joke with Henry - the first time I'd seen him have a genuine sense of humour.

Henry asked him what he was most proud of and Cunliffe reverted to an unmemorable predictable answer. Henry - a complete and utter Tory - told him he was wrong and should have said his proudest moment was the way he handled himself in the leaders' debates. He said he did the job better than anyone else could have within the party and it was a credit to him. Henry even wished Cunliffe the best.

Cunliffe says he's done a lot of soul-searching in the past week and despite resigning as leader, wants the job back. He says there are much easier ways to make a living but he is genuinely doing it for the right reasons.

He has only had a year in the position and now admits it wasn't long enough to topple National. He says "playing musical chairs with the leadership" is not the answer. That is a good point and will work in his favour.

Labour is in trouble and needs a fresh start. It needs to get back to its values as representing middle New Zealand, not minority groups.

I'm not sure Cunliffe is the answer but I'm equally not sure who is.

Whatever Labour decides with its leadership crisis, it should keep in mind Cunliffe did not lose the election. John Key won it.