John Armstrong writes: "One of the reasons why Governments slowly decay and die is that the longer they are in office the more prone they become to ugly pragmatism and compromise of principle."

John Key says it is possible the Government could get close to a surplus in the coming financial year - one year earlier than officially predicted in yesterday's Budget.

John Key is under absolutely no illusions about the difficulty he faces in securing a third victory at next year's election, writes John Armstrong.

Editorial: It was the Government's idea to put MMP to a referendum at the last election and it was the Government's idea to load the odds in favour of retention.

Aaron Gilmore has given a personal statement to Parliament, and said the media scrutiny he has been placed under prevented him from functioning properly as an MP.

Labour Party leader David Shearer says the party will bring their "popcorn and coke'' to National MP Aaron Gilmore's hugely anticipated valedictory speech later today.

Outgoing National MP Aaron Gilmore has apparently sent threatening text messages to a number of people after he decided to resign from Parliament.

John Armstrong asks: What kind of pressure was exerted over the weekend to force Aaron Gilmore out? Has he done some kind of deal with the party?

Disgraced National Party list MP Aaron Gilmore has moved to spare the Government further embarrassment during a critical week by announcing his resignation last night.

There won't be any changes to legislation around the controversial partnership schools despite opposition parties continuing their objections to elements of the bill.

Handing state homes over to community providers may benefit corporate developers, the Green Party says.

John Key and Bill English must sometimes wonder why National lost its nerve during the 2011 election campaign, writes Fran O'Sullivan.

Those who knew Gilmore in the lead-up to 2008 election said he was constantly talking himself up and often described himself as the next Energy Minister.

Does anyone outside the Wellington beltway really give a toss about Aaron Gilmore, a parliamentary nobody who beyond fulfilling his duties as backbench lobby fodder, is an utter irrelevance when it comes to matters of real political import?

"Dickhead" is one of the words National MP Aaron Gilmore was said to have directed at a restaurant waiter - but it's a word he out to avoid.

The Green Party is calling for the restructuring of the Department of Conservation to be put on hold.

Aaron Gilmore has no future with the National Party. The only question is when the end will come - now or at next year's list selection process, says Audrey Young.

A Christchurch couple's romantic dinner was ruined by National MP Aaron Gilmore's "unpleasant" behaviour at the table next to them.

The number of ex-diplomats in Parliament will swell to seven when new National MP Paul Foster-Bell joins the Government next month.

Keep Our Assets protesters at the National Party's Mainland Region conference say their mock toll booth was so well-received it may be used again.

Former National MP Paul Quinn has ruled out a return to Parliament to replace Jackie Blue.

History will regard the Key Government as having been responsible for a further and possibly decisive relapse in a long-term economic decline, writes Bryan Gould.

Labour and the unions have cried foul over the appointment of MP Jackie Blue as the new Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner.

A private investigator has been cleared of alleged misconduct for secretly filming National Party president Peter Goodfellow and his estranged wife Libby Black in their former matrimonial home.

Prime Minster John Key is continuing to deny wrongdoing in the appointment process of New Zealand's top spy.