Chris Hipkins is expecting the next two years leading into the next election to be very competitive. 

Recent polls have Labour and National neck and neck, with Hipkins edging in front of Christopher Luxon in the preferred Prime minister rankings. 

The Labour leader says that they’re getting a very good reception out there, even better than they were in the lead up to the last election.  

“It’s not exactly a great secret,” Hipkins told John MacDonald in response to his belief that the Labour leader won’t win the next election. 

“You’ve already written that in the column.” 

“You’ve told the whole country already.” 

A favoured contender, Kieran McAnulty has confirmed he has no interest in being the Party’s leader, putting his hand up to be the campaign manager instead.

Hipkins says that the two of them are a good team, and stand 100% behind one another.

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