Helen shows why she is no dame!

The Saint suggests that former Prime Minister Helen Clark should take on board the smug and oft-quoted advice given by her erstwhile deputy Michael Cullen a few years back: “They won; you lost – eat that!”
This suggestion follows reports about Clark putting pressure on a former Labour ministerial colleague Margaret Shields not to accept the title "Dame". Apparently Clark sent Shields a letter setting out why Labour had abolished the titles and saying she hoped she would not accept one.
It was Helen Clark's Labour Government that replaced the titles in May 2000 with the non-titular honours of principal and distinguished companions of the order. However, National restored the titles back in March and gave the 84 people affected by the change the option to choose whether to become dames and knights.
Shields – a former Labour MP for Kapiti - ignored Clark’s plea - and has instead chosen along with 24 other women and another 48 men to be formally installed as dames and knights. Only 13 people who had the option of becoming dames or knights turned down the opportunity.
Shields joins other luminaries such as former PM Dame Jenny Shipley, sports heroes Sir Russell Coutts, Sir Peter Snell and Sir Colin Meads, Maori leaders Sir Tumu te Heuheu, Sir Archie Taiaroa and Sir Harawira Gardiner and businessmen Sir Stephen Tindall, Sir Ralph Norris, Sir Peter Maire and Sir George Fistonich, Fonterra chairman Sir Henry Van der Heyden – who all decided to take up the Government’s offer.
The Saint can see the former PM Clark’s face doing a great impersonation of sucking a lemon upon hearing the news that “Dame” Margaret Shields had ignored her edict not to accept her gong. We all remember how Clark did not take kindly to people not doing what she told them to do when she was PM. In fact, she is still not best pleased with the people of New Zealand for having the temerity to vote her and Labour out of office last election.
Mind you, she can take some solace in the fact that at least 13 lackies heeded her advice and refused to take their gongs. Mind you the Saint reckons her baker’s dozen all appear to be either fawning crawlers or Labour party lackies – or in some cases both! They include former Speaker Margaret Wilson; actor Sam Neill, academics Ranginui Walker and Vincent O'Sullivan and authors Patricia Grace, Joy Cowley and Witi Ihimaera-Smiler.
Apparently Clark is understood to have been deeply disappointed that Shields and others whom her Government awarded high non-titular honours had accepted titles. Again, the Saint would use one of Clark’s own remarks to comment on her disappointment – “diddums”.
Clark needs to understand that the decision by her Government to unilaterally remove knights and dames was very unpopular and an overwhelming majority of New Zealanders have welcomed their return. She should also get use to the fact that John Key is now Prime Minister and he and his National Government are running the country.
So get over it Helen, you are yesterday’s news and we don’t want to be bossed around by you anymore!