Embarrassing

Just Making Stuff Up

Politics is a blood sport, metaphorically speaking.  At times it can be extremely formulaic and boring.  However, in the Westminster system, governments face formal questioning from opposition parties.  This can sometimes be one of the most entertaining and informative aspects of political interchange.  At times, the information gleaned shows how ill-prepared or superficial our politicians can be.  The institution of Parliamentary Question Time is one of the great strengths and virtues of the Westminster system of government.

In the vid below is an interchange between Andrew Little, Leader of the Opposition and John Key, the Prime Minister.  Now Little does not appear to be the sharpest pin in the cushion.  At times he appears tone deaf to political subtleties, but he soldiers on regardless.  In this particular characteristic he reminds one of Jeremy Corbyn, present leader of the Labour Party in the UK.

Watch Little go through his staff-prepared question sheet acting out a role--albeit woodenly and badly.
 Note how he strives to achieve a particular emphatic note when his chain of questions leads to the intended climax--which was  to expose the Prime Minister as one who lies, deceives, and slithers over the floor..  Watch what happens next.


Little clearly has not listened at all the the Prime Minister's answers as he works through his script by rote.  And he ends up being contemptuously dismissed.  Key was not being clever in his responses and answers.  It was all pretty standard and routine stuff.  Until the end.

If the Leader of the Opposition is a potential Prime Minister in waiting, Parliamentary question time is one of the few national forums which provides an opportunity to demonstrate the requisite capability to lead a nation.  Or not.

If it gets to the point where one begins to feel an embarrassed sympathy for the Leader of the Opposition, it's pretty much all over, one would have thought.