Image via WikipediaLabour will want Hughes out...
Otago University politics lecturer Dr Bryce Edwards says Labour will want Darren Hughes out, regardless of the truth surrounding the scandal he's linked to.
Labour will want Darren Hughes out, regardless of the truth surrounding the scandal he's linked to.
Wellington police are investigating a complaint against the list MP made by an 18-year-old man who was a Youth MP at Parliament last year. Mr Hughes is on leave from Parliament while the complaint is looked into but says he's done nothing wrong.
Otago University politics lecturer Bryce Edwards says political parties can't afford anyone to bring them down like this, especially not in election year. He says we expect our politicians to be squeaky clean.
"It's staggering that MPs can allow themselves to get into this situation, It just reeks or someone not losing the plot but losing their sense of what could end up in the public papers," he told Newstalk ZB's Mike Hosking.
Dr Edwards says the principle of innocent until proven guilty doesn't apply to parliamentary politics, which is a nasty business. He says Phil Goff may be ruing the day he went hard against National's Richard Worth, who was embroiled in a similar scandal.
"Goff really targeted John Key saying 'why did you wait so long, you knew this information for two weeks and didn't act,' and he really caused a stir with that, so he might be regretting that."
However Phil Goff'is promising to hold his MPs to the same standard as he has called on other parties to do with their members. Mr Goff says he has faith in Mr Hughes but will hold him to account if he's done anything wrong.
"You expect the highest standard of integrity in politics and that's what I expect of my MPs," he says.
Meanwhile Labour has closed ranks around Darren Hughes, following news that police are investigating the complaint.
Labour president Andrew Little says he became aware of the allegations against the senior MP only on Tuesday night, as the story broke. He's yet to speak to Mr Hughes and says he's happy for Phil Goff's office to handle the situation at this stage.
Wellington police are also refusing to comment further, with a spokeswoman saying when there's information to be released, a statement will be put out.
I think Darren Hughes may well be dog-tucker. He is a list MP not an electorate one. For older guys like me with equally as long memories - there is a touch of the Colin Moyle about this scandal to-be.
