Phil Twyford Chris Carter's preferred candidate has been selected to stand for Labour in the Auckland electorate the gay MP represented for almost 15 years. Labour list MP Phil Twyford will stand for the Te Atatu electorate in next year's general election. The selection came after a four hour meeting at the Te Atatu Community Centre yesterday. Twyford will take over from Carter, who was thrown out of Labour after trying to undermine the leadership of Phil Goff. Carter said he would consider standing as an independent candidate if Twyford was not selected. It has also been confirmed that Labour's electorate secretary Jenny Atkins will stand down, because of her sadness and regret at the treatment of Carter. Atkins told Stuff.co.nz that yesterday was her saddest day in 22 years in the role. She said that she and the electorate committee always had, and always would, support Carter. ''We would have been prepared to fight for him at the next election.''
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Sunday, 19th December 2010 - 11:48am