Labour leader David Cunliffe has joined the elite group to earn a PhD for proving the thesis that what is right in law is often wrong in politics, writes Claire Trevett.

David Cunliffe is under further scrutiny for failing to disclose a savings investment trust until soon after former leader David Shearer was caught out not declaring a US bank account.

In politics, there are bad days. And then there are really bad days. Cunliffe was having one of the latter. It must have been sheer torture, writes John Armstrong.

Labour leader David Cunliffe has revealed at least one of the donors to his campaign for the Labour leadership had approached him directly with an offer.

Labour has revealed that it embarrassingly sent internal policy documents and speech notes for leader David Cunliffe to a National Party Cabinet Minister.

Labour has extended the deadline for selection of the candidate for Tamaki Makaurau electorate to allow for a TVNZ inquiry into Labour Party activism.

Labour leader David Cunliffe has come clean about the trust set up to handle his donations during last year's leadership contest - naming three donors.

David Cunliffe has admitted a trust was used to take donations for his leadership campaign, allowing him to sidestep the obligation to disclose donations.

Labour says it will ensure the Rena owners remove the wrecked container ship if elected to Government.

The economy is not suddenly perfect just because the economic cycle has turned for the better, writes Liam Dann. There is still serious work to be done,

What you see with Matt McCarten is what you get. He's upfront and honest in his beliefs and approach. He is a hard-left, political head-kicker, writes Rodney Hide.

The political world was stunned on Wednesday when David Cunliffe announced me as his chief of staff, writes Matt McCarten.

Matt McCarten, Labour's new chief of staff, will have to find a way to make Cunliffe palatable to the centre without alienating those on the left, writes John Armstrong.

David Cunliffe's move to appoint long-time union organiser Matt McCarten as his key political operative is a smart move, writes Fran O'Sullivan.

Former TV star Tamati Coffey wants to be Rotorua's next MP, and has been nominated for selection as a candidate for the Labour Party.

Editorial: David Cunliffe's attempt to upend the chessboard by appointing Matt McCarten as his chief of staff and key strategist is neither exasperation nor desperation.

Mike Williams, quipped that Cunliffe's choice was either a stroke of brilliance or of lunacy, writes Brian Rudman. Certainly keeping the reins on McCarten is going to be a task for Cunliffe.

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.

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.

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.

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.

New Zealanders are switching to cheaper power companies in droves with help from Government-sponsored campaign.

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.