Mr Rowling’s decision to retain power applauded

Press, 16 December 1981, Page 1

Mr Rowling’s decision to retain power applauded

Parliamentary reporter The leader of the Labour Party (Mr Rowling) was applauded after he decided to stay on as leader, at a meeting of the Labour caucus yesterday.

The meeting was expected to end speculation on Mr Rowling’s future as leader of the party, but Mr Rowling said that he raised the matter himself well into the afternoon session of the allday meeting. “If I had not raised it, the matter probably would never have come up,” he said. His announcement that he had decided to stay on as leader was greeted with a “burst of applause,” and the matter was discussed no further. No conditions were attached to his remaining in office. He said he believed he had the party’s undivided loyalty, and that a challenge in the next three years was unlikely. Mr Rowling said his decision had been preceded by a period of “considerable agonising,” and had been reached after consultation with the Labour Party Council, rank-and-file Labour supporters,

and talks with most of his colleagues. “I have one major determination,” said Mr Rowling, "and that is to lead the Labour Party back into victory in the 1984 election. We are poised on the edge of

government now.” Mr Rowling said that even ' his political opponents conceded that his election campaign had been his best, and , although the party had lost three elections under his leadership, it had made significant ground in the last two. The tag, “three-time loser,” was irrelevant and

had been pinned to him mainly by writers who had made him the subject of more political obituaries than any contemporary political leader, he .said. The issue of deputy leader did not arise, nor did the likelihood of accommodations with the Social Credit

League, although this was an item for discussion at the next caucus, which would be a two-day meeting, in the first week of February. The outcome of the recount of votes in the Taupo seat could return it to Labour, and return the House ,to a tie, making government impossible, although Mr Rowling considered the present one-seat effective Government majority in the House removed any ability to govern successfully. The caucus had set up task forces to report to February’s meeting on ways which widespread public discontent with the Government could be used to help the Labour Party. Asked if the Labour Party would, be able to find the money to finance it through a second General Election, in the event of a National Party decision to call one, Mr Rowling said the party would rally to provide it.