By Audrey Young on the NZ Herald (paywalled)…
It should have been a week focused on Palestine, but instead, Chlöe Swarbrick’s action ensured the focus turned to her. In Parliament’s snap debate on Tuesday about whether the Government should recognise Palestinian statehood, she made a brilliant speech – one of her best – right until the last few seconds.
That’s when she made comments about MPs getting a spine because the Government has not picked up a sanctions bill on Palestine. The Speaker took offence and Swarbrick refused to withdraw and apologise. It was the same the next day, and then she refused to leave the House until she was voted out. More on that later.
Chlöe Swarbrick became a distraction from the debate on Palestine during a crucial week in which Israel stepped up bombardments of Gaza City and New Zealand began debating a huge issue. But outrageously, she made it about whether being asked twice to apologise was unprecedented.
Read the full “Inside Politics” article on the NZ Herald (paywalled) HERE.
