Socred now ‘main threat’ to National

Press, 9 April 1981, Page 2

Socred now ‘main threat’ to National

PA Wellington The Social Credit Political League had become the main threat to the National Government and its continued rise could mean the return of a weak minority Labour government in this year’s General Election, said the president of the National Party, Mr G. A. Chapman, yesterday. A weak Labour Party was attracting low-calibre candidates, particularly in strong National seats. The result was that traditional Labour voters now looked to Social Credit in these seats. Both the Social Credit seats. East Coast Bays and Rangitikei, had been considered strong National seats but had gone to Social Credit after the league had attracted traditionally Labour ■ voters. “It is Labour votes that are at risk but National seats which are endangered,” said Mr Chapman. “It is one of the extraordinary ironies of politics. I am concerned enough about the situation to speak about it publicly.” Mr Chapman said that the steady rise of Social Credit had been recorded in national surveys. In 1978 National and Labour had each

enjoyed about 40 per -cent support and Social Credit about 16 per cent. Until July, 1980, that position had not changed much. The turning point had come after the East Coast Bays by-election in September, 1980, in which Social Credit’s Mr Gary Knapp had been returned ahead of National’s Dr Donald Brash. The win had apparently given Social Credit credibility. Since the by-election, “New Zealand Herald”-Nat-ional Research Bureau surveys had shown an upsurge in support for Social Credit. The latest survey, which had been conducted Li early March, had given the league 29 per cent support, making it the second most popular political party, 14 per cent behind National. In that poll Labour had gained 27 per cent support. In spite of a slight reduction in support for Social Credit in the poll since January it appeared that the league’s popular support was climbing. A block of Social Credit seats in Parliament would mean “political and economic instability.” National was taking a two-pronged approach to fighting Social Credit.

“We will be talking about what Social Credit policy means and the deticiences in Socred financial policy,” said Mr Chapman. Social credit policies would lead to rampant inflation and would hurt small-scale businessmen and small scale farmers; both groups which the league had particularly appealed to. . National wanted to present its own policies explaining its growth strategy for the 1980 s which : : hoped would provide a foil to Social Credit support. The president of the Labour Party, Mr J. P. Anderton, said that Mr Chapman was engaging in psychological warfare. “If National thinks our candidates are weak they are under-estimating the strength of the Labour Party,” he said. It would be better if the other two parties started talking about their policies for the' economic and social problems facing New Zealand instead of squabbling over how many seats they could win. Labour had put a very high priority on marginal seats held by National. In those 23 seats Labour had some of its best candidates.