Love him or hate him, Shane Jones' departure from Labour is going to hurt the party.
With senior leaders who struggle to fire in the house, Jones certainly had the gift of the gab.
He could shoot down opponents like few others, and his quick wit and knowledge of things Maori were big bonuses for the struggling left.
While some say his lack of enthusiasm for politics meant it was time to go, the timing is pretty awful.
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Advertise with NZME.But his shock resignation doesn't have to be bad news for Labour in the long run.
While he may have pleased some of the remaining Maori voters in the party, he was also the sort of bloke who rubbed people up the wrong way.
He could be described as a little pompous and his ongoing feuds with the Greens were not going to bode well if the two parties have to lie in bed together, should they somehow manage to form a government after this year's election.
If the polls ring true and Labour loses this year's election, it will be time for the party to make a fresh start and bring through new blood without having to be weighed down by Jones, who may have been bitter about losing the leadership challenge the first time around.
It could be time for Jacinda Ardern to step up to the plate and see if she really could be the next Helen Clark.
A fresh line-up could also be good news for Rotorua hopeful Tamati Coffey.
He is already high profile and liked. Time will tell what he's like at politics.
