Is Labour trying to lose the next election?

Well, they must be, surely. They are not fools, any of them. Not even Trevor Mallard (incidentally, can you imagine Mallard as PM - how chaotic, but amusing that would be). But Labour seem Hell-bent on annoying people to the extent that soon no-one will vote for them.

This has to be deliberate. Labour have decided they've had enough of power, and think that John Key deserves a turn. Perhaps Cullen has scrutinised his crystal ball and detected some monstrous economic calamity on the horizon, and a strategic decision has been made to let this manifest itself on National's watch.

I'm not sure if I am joking here. Think about everything Labour has done in the last ... month ... year ... for a very long time. None of it seems designed to make the voters smile fondly and say, "Yes, we liked that, we'll have another three years of that, thank you very much."

Even the things they have done that people have liked - the smoking ban, for example, they have presented in such a bad way as to make themselves look bad. And then there are thew times where they seem to have decided to annoy the electorate, and set about it with a bloodyminded determination.

Think election spending and Clarke seemingly trying to appear sleazier than Don 'Brethern' Brash. Think Taito Phillip-Field being allowed to hang on for months. Think the stadium debacle - a magnificent effort in double pissing off of people, first of all by trying to foist a waterfront carbuncle on the country, and (once that had been kibboshed), throwing a sulk and not contributing towards Eden Park, so the glorious 2011 World Cup will be viewed from temporary seats.

If the government wanted something that would set them forever in the memory of a grateful populace, they could have coughed up enough for a stand at least. It could have been appropriate as Helen's constituency office is within spitting distance of Eden Park.

But no, that might not have riled up enough people. I'm only surprised they didn't think of the smacking ban first - chagrined by the way the Greens have stolen their PC thunder, Labour can only loyally suppot, and hope that they cop maximum blame for the bill.