McCarten's campaign skills should help draw voters back to Labour in its metropolitan strongholds, writes John Armstrong.

The allegations aired under parliamentary privilege by Shane Jones about the "Countdown Shakedown" are ugly in many ways, but not the obvious.

The Commerce Commission has announced it will investigate claims that Countdown and its parent company, Woolworths, are engaging in extortionate behaviour.

Labour leader David Cunliffe and MPs Shane Jones and Grant Robertson could be forced to publicly declare who gave them donations of more than $500 during last year's leadership contest despite the party's attempts to keep them confidential.

The Labour Party is guaranteed one thing in the countdown to this year's general election: there is no danger of David Cunliffe peaking too soon.

It is a truism of politics that a "partisan" is always a member of the opposite party.

Labour's decision to back the fast-tracking of Auckland's $2.86 billion city rail link at this year's general election is the good news.

Shane Taurima probably felt he was trying to make New Zealand a better place, even if he went about it the wrong way, as everyone seems to agree, writes Geoff Kemp.

Labour MP Shane Jones has gone into bat for Shane Taurima, saying his chances with Labour should not be written off because of one mistake.

A Labour party candidate in Auckland's first Super City elections will serve five months' community detention for his involvement in New Zealand's first electoral fraud.

TVNZ chief executive Kevin Kenrick says the state broadcaster gave Shane Taurima a journalism-or-politics ultimatum when he was reinstated at TVNZ.

David Cunliffe has probably done enough to avoid Labour suffering too much collateral damage from the Shane Taurima affair, writes John Armstrong.

TVNZ's chief executive Kevin Kenrick says in hindsight it was a mistake to take Shane Taurima back on after Taurima's first attempt to enter politics for Labour.

TVNZ is reviewing all the work Shane Taurima has been involved in for about the past year as allegations of political bias are fired at him by National Party ministers.

The Shane Taurima fiasco will hasten calls for Maori TV to take over TVNZ's Maori and Pacific unit.

Labour leader David Cunliffe's chief of staff Wendy Brandon has resigned five months into the job, citing ill health.

Wet and blustery weather has failed to keep the crowds away from Waitangi with hundreds pouring on to the Treaty Grounds.

New Zealand’s largest iwi is seeking the biggest ever Treaty settlement - $500m to $600m.

While claiming a warm reception at Te Tii Marae yesterday, Labour was snubbed by those at Maoridom's top table who were meeting the Government nearby.

Labour leader David Cunliffe has set himself a benchmark for the next election making it clear his goal is to overtake National in the polls.

In what is quickly becoming a year-long de facto election campaign, one can guarantee National will drum in the message that Cunliffe is a politician who cannot be trusted, writes John Armstrong.

It has been a bruising week for Labour leader David Cunliffe, but he has popped out the end of it saying he "loves every day" of what is often called the worst job in politics.

Labour's leader was trying to get his sales pitch for new childhood policies back on track yesterday, but continued to take flak for exaggerating the baby bonus.

Labour's push for universal welfare will not resonate widely. People earning $150,000 and, indeed, much less, simply do not need a baby bonus.

'We've been absolutely clear in all the materials.' David Cunliffe has defended against accusations he mislead the public over his $60 baby bonus.

Prime Minister John Key has accused Labour leader David Cunliffe of "misleading New Zealanders" over the $60-a-week child payment scheme.

Labour's $60-a-week child payment scheme may produce less work and more babies, economists say.