Politics

Mark Latham for One Nation? Former Labor leader floating political comeback

Jul 10, 2018

Mark Latham hasn't ruled out a return to politics. Source: Getty

Mark Latham is known for his outspoken political commentary and if his recent comments are anything to go by, he’s not ruling out a return to politics.

The 57-year-old, who was the former leader of the Labor Party before being ousted in 2005, has hinted that he could return to politics, although it’s not yet clear which party he would join.

Latham appeared on Sky News on Monday evening with One Nation leader Pauline Hanson, but said he wasn’t sure if he would be joining Hanson’s party.

“I’ve not made any decision – I do get people urging me, mainly on the basis, they say the country’s gone crazy,” ABC reports Latham saying. “When you look at the political correctness, the identity politics, the anti-white racism. People so often say to me ‘the country’s gone mad. What’s happened? Why has it changed so badly in the last decade? You should get in and do something’.”

While he may not have made a decision, it’s very clear that Latham is throwing his support behind smaller parties like One Nation. In fact, he’s teamed up with Hanson to voice her party’s robocall. He’s urging voters to support minor parties in the upcoming Longham by-election and has even encouraged people not to vote for the Labor party he once led. Sky news obtained the message that will be played to voters.

“I’m Mark Latham, former Labor Party leader. I’ve had personal experience with Bill Shorten’s dishonesty. He just lies and lies and lies.

“The reason we’re having a Longham by-election is because Shorten lied about the citizenship of his Labor MPs. Whatever you do, don’t reward Shorten’s dishonesty. Don’t vote Labor.

“Please support minor parties and independents to shake up the system and put some honest politics back into Canberra.”

Hanson said enlisting the help of Latham wasn’t an attempt to get him in the party.

“Mark knows I’d be quite happy to have him on board, but Mark’s his own person,” she said. “Whether he wants to get involved in politics again, that’s up to Mark. He’s been approached, I understand, by a few minor parties.”

Hanson said she had a lot of time for Latham and his views, noting that a lot of other Australians share his views.

“If we need more people like that who are willing to come out and say these issues, because a lot of it is suppressed,” Hanson continued. “I think someone of Mark’s knowledge and experience and willing to speak against political correctness in this country is very much needed. If I have Mark beside me on the floor of parliament, fantastic.”

Still, Hanson insisted there had been no agreement made. It comes after Liberal Democrat leader David Leyonhjelm hinted last month that Latham was in talks to join his party.

“There’s a very high chance he’ll be running for us somewhere at either a NSW or federal election, or possibly both,” Senator Leyonhjelm told AAP. “He’s also on a political journey bringing him pretty close to the position and principles of the Liberal Democrats.”

Latham’s latest comments have been attacked by Labor, with MP Jim Chalmers slamming Latham’s decision to encourage people not to vote for Labor.

“Bill Shorten’s got more integrity in his little finger than Mark Latham has in his whole body and I think Mark Latham is just reflecting frustration that Bill has been able to what Mark failed so spectacularly at,” he told Sky News. “Bill Shorten has for five years now united a team, listened and led his colleagues, set the policy agenda, done all the things Mark was unable to do.”

.@JEChalmers: @billshortenmp has more integrity in his little finger than @RealMarkLatham does in his whole body.

MORE: https://t.co/EdgLuViRCU #amagenda pic.twitter.com/AJeYqDm2mA

— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) July 9, 2018