More on the Leaky Candidate

This has to be the ultimate in irony; Winston Peters is peeved that the appointment of Andrew "the Leaky Mayor" Williams as NZ First's North Shore candidate was leaked; Andrea Vance from Stuff reports:

Defeated Auckland mayoral candidate Andrew Williams is to run for New Zealand First in North Shore.

Party leader Winston Peters said: ''He has been nominated as a candiate, he has been approved and the board will be announcing it shortly.''

He refused to say how long Williams has been a member of the party, citing privacy laws. ''It's none of your business,'' he said.

Williams came fourth in the race for the mayoralty in October with just over 3800 votes. He was a local councillor between 2001 and 2004.

Peters said Williams, 52, has "significant experience'' in local government and international trade ''and he has got many other qualities as well".

Williams will run against former broadcaster Maggie Barry, for National, and Labour's Ben Clark.

Peters was unconcerned Williams was defeated last year. "So, everybody who got rejected as Auckland mayor is not a sound person to stand for Parliament? Such a stupid question."

Asked if Williams would become a spokesman for any issue, Peters responded with: "God, you dick. We will announce the spokespeople in the fullness of time.''

Andrea Vance noted on Twitter yesterday afternoon that she had been on the end of an "earbashing" from Winston Peters; now we can see why! As usual, Winston blames the media for the leak.

And as usual, Winston is wrong. The source of the leak was the Leaky Mayor himself. As we noted yesterday, his Facebook page identifies him as North Shore electorate candidate for NZ First. And as has become de riguer of late, Cameron Slater beat the media to the story.

So Winston Peters; an apology to Ms Vance is in order, wethinks. The only dicks here are your good self, and your North Shore candidate, who you should have already realised is a bit of a loose unit. Despite your protestations to the contrary, their is no media conspiracy here, just a candidate who jumped the shark. As for a spokespersonship; perhaps Andrew Williams could be NZ First's spokesman on the hospitality industry, with which he is believed to have a close association!