Perspective with Heather du Plessis-Allan: Did Labour just save Luxon's skin?

If yesterday told us anything, it's that National doesn't have to replace Chris Luxon as urgently as some in the party were saying just a couple of weeks ago.

Because if Labour carries on like they did yesterday, National is probably going to be fine for next year, aren't they?

That chat, by the way, was real. There really are senior people within the party who think that Chris Luxon needs to be replaced.

And from the sounds of things, they were starting to get pretty anxious in the last few weeks because of the recent polls showing Labour pulling ahead and Luxon getting less popular.

Surely they're gonna be feeling a little better today, because what we learned yesterday is Labour looks credible - until they start talking. The minute they start releasing policy, it goes south.

Yesterday, they couldn't even get the policy out without it being leaked first. And then they did manage to get it out and it was the same old 'come for your money' that Labour always reverts to - and then Chippy wasn't at all credible on it when he had to start answering questions.

Same with last week when the doctors' policy got released before Chippy was even ready for it.

Now, this doesn't actually solve National's problem altogether. Luxon is still unpopular by previous Prime Ministers' standards.

But I'd have to wonder, does he not look quite as bad when you see what the alternative is now?

Is it possible that Labour has actually saved Luxon's skin by sending voters back to National by just being predictable money grabbers, and then incompetent at explaining it?

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