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I'mÌýsurprised that votersÌýdon’tÌýreally seem to likeÌýChrisÌýHipkinsÌýthat much.Ìý

We'veÌýspent quite a bit of time discussingÌýChrisÌýLuxon’sÌýpoor popularity, butÌýtake a lookÌýat last night’s poll: Hipkins’ÌýisÌýreally poorÌýas well.

His personal popularity in last night’sÌýTVNZÌýpoll: 25%.

Last week in theÌý¾ÅÒ»ÐÇ¿ÕÎÞÏÞhubÌýpoll, only 23%.

That meansÌýthree-quarters of usÌýdon’tÌýwant him as PM.Ìý

That’sÌýbad for an incumbent primeÌýministerÌý

GenerallyÌýa popular prime minister will sit in theÌýthirties or early forties if we like them.

And I'm surprised people don’t seem to like him that much because he technically has everything a politician needs to be popular.

He'sÌýgood with a oneÌýliner, good at batting down tough questionsÌýwithoutÌýsoundingÌýupset or nervousÌýor angry. Really smiley demeanour, quick to laugh, and open to media, going on talkback, and takingÌýquestions.

He talks like a normalÌýkiwi.

He isÌýbasically theÌýoppositeÌýof what we had before.

So whyÌýdon’tÌýwe like him?Ìý

I suspectÌýit’sÌýbecause votersÌýaren’t quiteÌýas dumb asÌýpoliticiansÌýassume, when they think a quick switcharoo at the top changes a party’s fortunes.

I suspectÌýit’sÌýbecause votersÌýhaven’tÌýforgotten the stuffÌýthatÌýfrustratedÌýthem about Labour.

They gave Chippy a chance, but theyÌýhaven'tÌýseen him prove that his Labour is all thatÌýdifferent.Ìý

TellÌýyouÌýwhat,ÌýLabourÌýshouldÌýbeÌýworriedÌýaboutÌýthat.

This spells trouble forÌýthem because Chippy is the only assetÌýthey’veÌýgot.

They'veÌýgotÌýrubbishÌýpolicies,Ìýthey’veÌýgot aÌýrubbishÌýtrack recordÌýin the last 5.5 years, they've got rubbish ministers, and they’ve got rubbish coalition partners.

SoÌýthe only thing they had goingÌýforÌýthem is a leader that was more popularÌýthanÌýthe leader of the National Party.Ìý

Well, that’s not true anymore.

The gap between them about ten weeks ago was 16%, the gap now is 7%.Ìý

Unless he can lift his popularity, LabourÌýmight’veÌýjust lost its last best hope.Ìý