It was a sign of how worried Labour leader David Cunliffe was that he took the unusual step of cancelling his plans to spend yesterday in Auckland to return to Parliament.

The National Government is denying a dirty tricks campaign against Labour Leader David Cunliffe over his letter of support for businessman Donghua Liu’s residency application.

Shane Jones says he has no regrets about quitting Parliament despite a suggestion he may have been in the prime position to take over the leadership about now.

David Cunliffe wants to know why Prime Minister John Key knew about a letter Mr Cunliffe wrote for Donghua Liu long before he was told about it.

The furore over David Cunliffe's contact with controversial Chinese businessman Donghua Liu boils down to one simple question: Can Cunliffe be trusted?

A poor result on a new political poll has added to Labour’s woes today - and Labour's pain is National's gain.

Prime Minister John Key believes the Labour has a lot more than $15,000 in donations from wealthy Chinese political donor Donghua Liu.

David Cunliffe has an unfortunate manner on the moral high ground. He adopts a tone of solemn, heavy-hearted condemnation befitting a preacher in hell.

David Cunliffe is in deep political trouble. So deep that his resignation as Labour's leader may now be very much in order, writes John Armstrong.

This gaming of the system is not new, writes Brian Rudman. What is different this election is that instead of it being nudge-nudge, wink-wink, it's become formalised.

A Labour Cabinet Minister presented a bottle of wine to the partner of businessman Donghua Liu at a fundraiser for the party.

New Herald poll shows Internet-Mana would get two MPs, as their success eats into the Greens vote while National is still well ahead of Labour.

Labour says it has no record of receiving money from the businessman and National Party donor surrounded in controversy.

Yet another poll - the Herald-DigiPoll survey today - suggests National is heading for a decisive re-election in September.

Labour has issued its clearest sign so far that it will mount its own tactical voting strategy in the Epsom electorate by encouraging its voters to give their electorate vote to National's candidate, Paul Goldsmith.

A wealthy Auckland businessman, whose links to the National Party led to a minister's resignation, also made a secret $15,000 donation to Labour.

There are three rules of New Zealand politics. Never criticise farmers. Never ask why cannabis is illegal and never, ever mention abortion.

David Cunliffe may well be proud that red is the colour of socialism, writes Claire Trevett, but he can't afford a re-enactment of Thrones' Red Wedding.

Editorial: David Cunliffe's announcement represented Labour finally dipping a more positive toe into education policy.

Labour is promising to abolish within 100 days of taking office the MMP coat-tail rule that enables a minor party electorate MP to bring party list mates into Parliament, writes Brian Rudman.

Editorial: Labour MP Andrew Little is right, an inquiry is needed into the police decision not to prosecute John Banks.

The rich and powerful are expert at using their dominance of the media to raise the salience in the popular mind of values that suit their interests, writes Bryan Gould.

The IPCA is evaluating complaints about the police decision not to pursue electoral fraud charges against Act MP John Banks and may launch a formal investigation.

The downfall of John Banks may have seemed the story of the week. But the feasting by the mob on what was left of his dignity was essentially a sideshow, if a rather unsavoury one, writes John Armstrong.

Taxpayer funding for National and Labour's election campaign broadcast advertising has been cut for this year's election but the Greens and NZ First will enjoy a substantial boost.

It is political convention that changing electoral law is done by consensus because it is fundamental to the country's democracy, writes John Armstrong.

Labour leader David Cunliffe confirmed he would still be open to a post-election deal with Internet Mana despite making the abolition of "coat-tailing" under MMP .

Labour leader David Cunliffe now says his party would make it a priority to get rid of ''coat-tailing" under MMP if it leads the Government after the September election.