One of the issues this election is the potential make up and structure of a left wing government, should they have the seats to create one. Will the Greens and New Zealand First be able to work with each other? Will the Greens and the Internet Party be willing to work together? Will David Cunliffe offer the Internet Mana Party seats at the cabinet table? Will the Internet Mana Party even get into Parliament? With this as background, some on the left have been attempting to provide a united front, showing that at some levels the parties can work together, hoping to present the image that they can work together. Some examples are:
As well as these from here:
Plus I have seen many other examples over recent weeks of some in various parties on the left trying to present the image of cooperation.
It is all good and well having low level activists and candidates promoting a united front, or the leader of a minor party claiming a united front, but how does this contrast with other social media posts from other parties?
Kelvin Davis is already on the record with his views on the Internet Party:
So is Phil Goff
And Chris Hipkins:
and here:
At the same time that the minor parties are trying to present this united front, that the Labour MPs are trying to pull down, there is the poll by TV3 that has the following result:
The Greens and Internet Mana obviously has something to gain by presenting a unified front, but the Labour party has to consider how this unified front, particularly with the Internet Mana Party, will impact on their party vote. It is obvious that Kelvin, Phil and Chris see the risks in being associated too closely with the Internet Mana party. Social media makes it harder for the party to keep control of the message that is going out. In the past a photo, like the first one in this post, might have been seen by half a dozen people. Those in it would have been happy about the “united front”, but that message would not have reached such a wide audience. As well, previously parties would not have been able to so easily hijack the message of another party, like Laila did in the tweets above. But the use of social media as a means of political communication makes it a lot easier for it to happen. Now it is there for all to see, and despite the view of those out campaigning for the various parties, it may not be helping the overall cause of the left in their aim to change the government.
