Feel some pity for hitherto obscure MP Aaron Gilmore whose hopes and dreams lie in ashes, albeit through self-immolation, writes Sir Bob Jones.

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.

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?

A restructure and the loss of more than 70 full-time roles from DoC will have a negative impact on the environment, conservation advocates say.

"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.

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.

The brother of the man controversially appointed to New Zealand's top spy job after a nod by John Key is a former schoolmate and debating team member of the Prime Minister.

Prime Minister John Key was pushing his childhood friend Ian Fletcher as a good candidate for a top-level government job as early as 2009, says Ian Rennie.

Claire Trevett says when it comes to delivering bad news about the fauna and flora of NZ, the same advice applies as to tramping near fairy tern nesting sites: tread with meticulous care.

Someone should tell David Shearer that getting all indignant about someone else's blunder was not the best of tactics to employ in Parliament, writes John Armstrong.

Were senior Cabinet ministers asleep at the wheel? Did they fail to step in soon enough when problems at Solid Energy were apparent? John Armstrong investigates.

Why has National remained so incredibly popular for so long despite suffering continuing calamities, embarrassments and unwanted distractions, asks John Armstrong.

John Key was touted as a dinner companion in a lucky dip contest fronted by a National Party minister - but never knew he was the prize used to lure entrants.

Since the 1980s, too, successive Governments have become increasingly high-handed, and ideologically driven, writes Anne Salmond.