Donald Trump successfully dealt to the ‘rotten to the core' Washington establishment and in doing so, did the American public a big favour. Yes, he is possibly loosely wrapped and maybe not ideal but is clearly better than the opposition and some of his policies actually make sense. Having regard to the Trump landslide, Brexit and other looming political changes about to sweep through Europe and even Australia, the National Party has every reason to fear the October 2017 General Election and reliable sources report they are privately paranoid about losing seats. Mr Key's policies including RMA Act, Freshwater, race-based – elected and unelected – representation on councils and committees, Trans-Pacific Partnership, the flag referendum, housing stuff-ups, immigration and tribal uprising's commemoration day – all effectively done without public consultation will be the death knell for him and his robotic bootlickers! Grovelling to the irrelevant Maori Party is just another nail in the coffin. Voters have the opportunity to dismiss this National Government and not to support the Labour-Greens Coalition by giving their 2017 Party Vote to NZ First, which at least supports what most Kiwis believe in and this should translate into 20-25 seats, enough to hold the balance of power and stop the ‘crazies' in their tracks. A word of warning to National Party backsliders ‘ask not for whom the bell tolls – it tolls for thee' and good riddance too.

R Paterson, Matapihi.