New leader in Feb.?

Press, 3 December 1985, Page 1

New leader in Feb.?

By OLIVER RIDDELL in Wellington As the sun sets on the leadership of the National Party by Mr McLay, the only question left for his colleagues is when to replace him with his deputy, Mr Jim Bolger. ; The abysmal rating of Mr McLay in the public opinion polls, even more than the 18-point gap between Labour and National, seems to have sunk his last hopes of hanging on. It was rumoured among National members of Parliament yesterday that Mr McLay might have to be replaced before Christmas. This reflects a fear that Labour might call an election early next year and so catch National between leaders.

However, this does not yet seem very likely. The best bet is that Mr McLay . will be replaced in February. Yet, whatever the perceived shortcomings of Mr McLay as a leader and as a person, his replacement is yet another example of scapegoating within the National Party.

The first scapegoat was Sir Robert Muldoon, leader of National for 10 years and •Prime Minister for 8% years. By any reading of that decade, it has to be said that Sir Robert had accumulated enmities against himself. He became Leader of the Opposition and was replaced rather gracelessly six months later.

The second scapegoat was the chief executive of the National Party organisation, Mr Barrie Leay. As a paid servant Mr Leay was not as open to direct attack as Sir Robert had been. On the other hand, he was a target for people who blamed the party president, Mrs Sue Wood, but thought it impolitic to attack her head on. To page 3