Some people have taken my “lipstick on a pig” comment as a personal attack on the Labour leader Jacinda Ardern. I can assure everyone that is not the case.

 “Putting lipstick on a pig” is a euphemism for a meaningless face-lift or makeover. And until such a time that we see real change from the Labour Party we think that the euphemism is appropriate.

Obama used the same phrase back in 2008 when John McCain and Sarah Palin were talking about change.

I’m sick of establishment parties talking about change and doing nothing. Most of New Zealand’s problems have been caused by both major parties.

• House prices have risen (and affordability fallen) under both Labour and National. 

• The quality of our rivers has declined under both Labour and National.

• Our prison population has risen under both Labour and National.

Tell me why I should have my faith restored in either party just because their leadership has changed?

As far as I am concerned both establishment parties have to earn their redemption. They need to show they are committed to real policy change. At the moment all they do is talk about change and then simply fiddle about the edges.

I would use that phrase to describe either party’s recent leadership makeovers. The only reason I haven’t used that phrase to describe National’s situation is that Bill English is not pretending he is any change on the previous leader.

Here are a bunch of other euphemisms I could have used:

• It’s like polishing a turd

• You can’t make a silk purse out of a sows ear

• It’s like changing the badge on a skoda

• A hog in armor is still a hog