Dave Gee: Life from Right Field

PM Hillin Cluck's minority coalition Government just got a little shakier, a little more complicated, and took another step to the left.

Her decision to get Taito Phillip Field (an electorate MP) expelled from the Labour Party will mean Field will remain in Parliament (for the time being) as an Independent MP, and Cluck & Co will need to rely on the Greens or the Maori Party to push through legislation and stay in power.

Labour and the JAPS (Jim Anderton's Progressives) formed a minority coalition government after the 2005 election, and have been able to govern thanks to the support of the Winston First and Peter Dunne United (a total of 60 seats/121 when Field is expelled).

In interviews yesterday, Field was keen to point out his enormous majority in Mangere (I bet he says that to all the girls). Today he says his comments regarding standing against Labour at the next election were based on "a hypothetical situation posed by a reporter and were taken out of context".
However, with a majority at the last election (the largest in the country), Field could have a good shot at retaining his seat... either as an independent, or maybe as a candidate for the Maori Party (who have been very supportive of him in recent months).

* NZ Herald: MP Field could join another party
* Stuff: Field to go: how Labour will survive