Jacinda Ardern’s iron grip on New Zealand’s Labour party is slipping … and that means trouble

‘Labour has enjoyed an incredible streak of unity, with anything that Ardern says publicly treated as gospel by her MPs.’ Photograph: Mark Mitchell/AP

Just hours after electing Jacinda Ardern leader in 2017, an extremely bruised Labour caucus stood onstage trying to assure media the party was united enough to govern.

The party had cycled through four leaders since Helen Clark had last led them to government in 2008. It was riven with factionalism, leaks, and the detritus of huge egos stabbing each other in the back. It had now elected a fifth opposition leader, just six weeks out from the election.