Our expert columnist explains away another bad poll for the Labour Party.

The latest political poll has delivered another bad result for Labour and its leader, David Cunliffe.

The Herald DigiPoll shows Labour’s support has slid below 30%. It follows a trend of disappointing poll results for the party in recent weeks.

But how could this happen? It makes no sense at all. There have been no mistakes from the party’s leader, his office is well-resourced and functioning efficiently, and every member of Labour’s caucus is operating with determination, energy and focus.

In fact, I can’t think of a single thing Labour could be doing better. Everything is fine. The ship may be sinking, but it’s nobody’s fault.

So let’s not panic over just one, or two, or three or four or five bad polls. Like I told people just before the 2011 election when they wrote off Labour’s chances, the only poll that matters is the one on election day. And we all remember what happened in 2011, don’t we? National may have won re-election, but only because a huge number of people voted for them. It would have been a very different result if they hadn’t.

So let’s not get too stressed about this poll, people on the left. It’s probably all the media’s fault anyway. Or it’s all because the pollsters don’t ring landlines. Or are all corrupt. Or are just a bunch of meanies. Take your pick. We know these polls are wrong, because they have to be. They must be! How could so many New Zealanders be so stupid?