Phil Quinn: Inside the National-Labour chasm
(WorldNews New Zealand)

This story was originally published on Newsroom.co.nz and is republished with permission. OPINION: However gloomy things were turning elsewhere, the Labour faithful earned themselves a stonking celebration in Nelson last night. The party soared ahead of National for the first time since 2005, leaping from 25 per cent in 2014 to 41 per cent. As it happened, the party needed to replicate Nelson`s swing across the country. That it came up short is not for a want of effort across provincial New Zealand where Labour made significant gains - and not just at the expense of the hapless Greens. In most cases, Labour`s vote outside the main urban centres returned to, even surpassing, 2008 tallies....