Editing New Zealand Labour Party (section)

=== In opposition (2008–2017) ===
[[File:Mining Protest-4 cropped.jpg|thumb|Then-leader [[Phil Goff]] with future leader [[Jacinda Ardern]] and [[Carol Beaumont]] at a 2010 anti-mining march in Auckland]]
Following the loss to the National Party in the November 2008 election, Helen Clark stood down as leader of the party<ref name="nzh_clark_stands_down">{{cite news |url= http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz-election-2008/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501799&objectid=10541889 |title= Clark stands down after Key wins NZ election |date=8 November 2008 |work=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |access-date=8 November 2008}}</ref> – [[Phil Goff]] succeeded her (serving from 2008–2011).<ref name="Shearer resign">{{cite news |url= http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10769673 |title= Goff resignation sparks leader race |date=29 November 2011 |work=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |access-date=29 November 2011}}</ref> Labour had a relatively high turnover of four leaders during its most recent term in opposition; journalist [[Nicky Hager]] has attributed this to Labour's reaction to changes within public media and the political environment.<ref>Hager, Nicky, (2014). ''Dirty Politics: How Attack Politics in Poisoning New Zealand's Political Environment''. Nelson: Craig Potton Publishing.</ref> Goff led Labour into a second electoral defeat in {{NZ election link year|2011}} and was succeeded by [[David Shearer]], who led the Labour parliamentary from 2011 to 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/9074568/David-Shearer-quits |title=David Shearer quits |work=[[Stuff (website)|Stuff]] |date=22 August 2013 |access-date=22 August 2013}}</ref> 

Shearer resigned after losing the confidence of caucus. [[David Cunliffe]] (2013–2014) assumed the leadership after the [[2013 New Zealand Labour Party leadership election|2013 leadership election]] in which, under new rules, members and unions held 60% of the vote.<ref name="Cunliffe wins">{{cite web|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/9166765/Cunliffe-wins-Labour-leadership |title=Cunliffe wins Labour leadership |work=[[Stuff (website)|Stuff]] |date=15 September 2013 |access-date= 15 September 2013}}</ref><ref name="EIU">{{cite web|author=EIU Digital Solutions|title=New Labour leader chosen|url=http://country.eiu.com/article.aspx?articleid=200964404&Country=New%20Zealand&topic=Politics&subtopic=Forecast&subsubtopic=Election+watch&u=1&pid=2024544386&oid=2024544386&uid=1|website=country.eiu.com|access-date=4 September 2016 |date= 17 September 2013}}</ref> Most of the Labour caucus disliked Cunliffe, but he had strong support from the party membership. In the leadership contest he won first-preference votes from only one-third of Labour MPs.<ref name="EIU"/> 

Cunliffe's tenure as leader quickly became mired in internal disputes and falling poll-ratings. Labour went on to suffer its worst electoral reversal since 1922 at the {{NZ election link year|2014}} election, Cunliffe opted to resign after initially wishing to re-contest the leadership. His replacement, [[Andrew Little (New Zealand politician)|Andrew Little]] (2014–2017), then resigned in 2017 following new polling showing the party sinking to a record low result of 24%, with internal voices hoping that rising star [[Jacinda Ardern]] would take over in his stead.<ref name="Watkins">{{cite news|last1=Watkins|first1=Tracy|title= Jacinda Ardern new Labour leader as Andrew Little quits|url= https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/95305769/Labour-leadership-D-day-Andrew-Littles-job-on-the-line|work=[[Stuff (website)|Stuff]] |date=1 August 2017|access-date=1 August 2017}}</ref> 

The caucus confirmed Ardern as the new Labour leader (2017–2023).<ref name="Watkins"/><ref>{{cite news|last1= Graham|first1=Charlotte|title=Jacinda Ardern Takes Over New Zealand Opposition as Election Looms|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/31/world/asia/andrew-little-new-zealand-labour-party.html|access-date=1 August 2017|work=The New York Times|date= 31 July 2017}}</ref> After Ardern's election to its parliamentary leadership Labour rose dramatically in opinion polls. By late August they had risen to 43% in one poll (having been 24% under Little's leadership), as well as managing to overtake National in opinion polls for the first time in over a decade.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11922098 |title=Little asked Ardern to lead six days before he resigned |date=14 September 2017 |access-date= 15 November 2017 |work=[[The New Zealand Herald]]}}</ref>