Cut and thrust: Anderton on the ropes, but there's no knockout punch

By JOHN ARMSTRONG

And so the war of attrition continues.

Yesterday Parliament stalled for 20 minutes as the Opposition parties repeatedly hammered points of order to keep arguing Jim Anderton should resign as an MP because he is in such obvious breach of the law banning party hopping.

The day before that proceedings were held up for 35 minutes.

That has been the pattern for the past three weeks that Parliament has been sitting since the Alliance split asunder.

To the casual observer, it might look like stalemate.

The Opposition constantly tells Speaker Jonathan Hunt that Parliament's reputation is at stake.

Despite Mr Anderton's departure from the Alliance to form his breakaway Progressive Coalition party, the Government insists nothing has technically changed.

It says there are still 10 "Alliance" MPs in Parliament of whom Mr Anderton remains "leader" in parliamentary terms, if not in reality. Mr Hunt has not received a letter from Mr Anderton to advise him otherwise - a letter which would trigger the party-hopping law. Mr Anderton stays.

But the Opposition holds the moral high ground. The Government is being subjected to the daily ignominy of being forced to relitigate an argument it knows it cannot win. And it is hurting.

Mr Anderton sits impassively throughout, the vast stocks of credibility he built up over years rapidly draining by the day. It has fallen on the Prime Minister and more latterly Labour's deputy leader, Michael Cullen, to defend the integrity of their coalition partner.

But there was a flash of annoyance yesterday from Dr Cullen, who asserted the constant questioning of Mr Anderton's status amounted to a challenge to the Speaker's authority - a sign the Opposition barrage is getting under his normally unruffled skin.

Helen Clark, meanwhile, no longer bats hard on Mr Anderton's behalf, preferring to distance herself from him by saying what happens in other parties is not her concern.

Behind them, Labour MPs sit in studied silence, no longer bothering to indulge in the usual ritual baying at the Opposition because they know the cause is hopeless.

While he has not delivered the knock-out punch, much of the credit for what has been a clear points victory for the Opposition should go to Gerry Brownlee, National's shadow Leader of the House. He has explored every nook and cranny of Parliament's standing orders to find mechanisms with which to implore the Speaker to accept the inconsistency of Mr Anderton's position.

He has been backed up by the lawyers' skills of Richard Prebble and Winston Peters. He has been assisted by the Speaker who - to his credit - has given considerable latitude to let the arguments run their course even though his patience has been stretched and he expelled two National MPs from the chamber yesterday.

Whether all this matters is a moot point, however, given the public sees little of what happens in Parliament.

So far, Labour's poll rating has been insulated from Mr Anderton's farcical behaviour.

But for how long? Labour MPs look distinctly uncomfortable, particularly as there is no sign that the Opposition onslaught is subsiding or media interest waning.

Next week, at least, there will be no opportunity for Opposition MPs to raise yet more questions about Mr Anderton and the party he does or does not lead as Parliament will be taking a brief break.

But Mr Brownlee and company will be back for more the week after that. And the week after that.