John Key will be reeling after the events of this past weekend. They will be a blow to his government’s re-election chances.

I am not referring to the Te Tai Tokerau byelection, even if the humiliation of Key’s Maori Party ally hasn’t helped the cause. 

But that is just a minor blow compared to the catastrophe unfolding in the UK. It now appears that William and Kate may not be coming for a visit this year.

Key still has the World Cup, but that is a risky strategy, given our ability to choke during the critical games. Being photographed smiling and laughing with the happy couple, perhaps over a barbecue, would have cemented it. Now there is a huge void in National’s re-election strategy.

Key will now be scratching around for an option, any option, to ensure the media stays away from discussing policy during this critical time. My advice to the PM is to contact the agents for Lady Gaga or Justin Bieber and get those celebrities here at any cost.

Or how about David Beckham?