Mr Rudd and pique

Australian politics is a bear-pit. The Rudd challenge, precipitated by his resignation last night, was expected, and goes to show how little the internal politics in the ALP care for the wider Australian population. Be very clear. This is an attempted coup in retaliation for that which ousted Mr Rudd two years ago. It is a question of ego, first and foremost, on the part of a highly-intelligent but flawed character, who commands respect, but little liking. He may win, but in doing so, may well precipitate the sort of faction fighting that paralyses a party, and provides a fillip to Mr Abbott that he needs very much. I was in Oz recently, talking with old friends in the Catholic Right in NSW (a tradition with which I have little sympathy, I should note) and I sensed the ploughshares being beaten in swords. This could well be a bloody one.