“I’ll remain the leader of the Liberal Party as long as my party wants me to, and it’s in the party’s best interests that I do so”
Well, that was then. In fact, it was only last night that John Howard repeated that phrase that we’ve all heard for several years.
Today, however, he has changed his tune:
“It is not in the party’s interest to revisit it. That is my position, my very strong position” … “And I hope people understand from observing me in 30 odd years of public life, that I have never run from a fight before and I don’t intend to do so now,”
That – and especially the tone in which he said it – sounded borderline megalomaniacal.
So, he’s lied to the country, he’s lied to his Deputy … and now, it turns out he’s been lying to the organisation that he values the most, his party.
Let this be a lesson to backbenchers: you’ve been too gutless to stand up to this man for a decade. Now, just as he’s taking you to the brink of destruction, you’re incapable of doing anything about it.