No, not that H2…
I’ve noticed on a few right-wing blogs over the last couple of days (yes, I’m looking at you Mr. Farrar) increasingly mentioning a politician/bureaucrat referred to as “H2″. They are referring, of course, to Helen Clark’s chief of staff, Heather Simpson. Apparently here in Wellington with Helen as H1, Heather is known as H2.
Her name has appeared in the media most recently over her letter to Parliamentary Services on the controversial pledge cards that kick-started the current nastiness in NZ politics. I didn’t think much of that letter in the media other than a member of Helen’s staff was probably just doing what was dictated to her by H1 herself.
Thanks to a fairly detailed background at Liberty Scott, I feel I now know a little more on the significance of H2 and that letter.
I don’t have enough knowledge to know how accurate this article is and I’m sure if you looked hard enough there is probably a rebuke or two in the blogosphere but it does make for interesting reading as a citizen of this country. The media, however, has confirmed she is one of the top 4 most influential Labour party members.
As for the pledge card issue itself, I don’t really feel that debating it here would shed any new light on the subject. Labour should pay it back but politically they can’t, especially after National’s repeated claims of corruption. As Audrey Young points out:
“National’s fight against Labour’s election spending is not about the 2005 campaign, it’s about the 2008 campaign and who wins”.
The 2008 campaign is under way…
