Labor’s knockback: ‘No one takes Latham seriously any more’

Mark Latham offered himself for Labor preselection for Hume ahead of the 2016 election but the party endorsed another candidate.

Former Labor leader Mark Latham.

Mark Latham offered himself for Labor preselection for the federal seat of Hume in southwest Sydney ahead of the 2016 election but the party endorsed another candidate who failed to win.

Just two years ago Mr Latham was contemplating a comeback with the party he once led, offering to stand as a candidate at a party branch meeting and following up the suggestion with party officials.

But he has since joined the Liberal Democrats and is now being mooted as a candidate for Pauline Hanson’s One Nation.

Kaila Murnain, the NSW Labor secretary, said Mr Latham had no credibility, no influence and was despised by party members. Ms Murnain confirmed Mr Latham had held discussions with local branch members about standing as the Labor candidate for Hume.

“It doesn’t matter which party Mark Latham runs for, no matter what, he and Pauline Hanson will be the lapdogs of Malcolm Turnbull and the Liberals and Nationals,” Ms Murnain told The Australian.

“No one takes him seriously any more. The next thing you know he’ll be knocking on the door of the Pirate Party.”

The Australian understands that Mr Latham did not renew his Labor membership for several years, resigning as party leader and from parliament in 2005. The party slapped a lifetime ban on his reclaiming membership last year when he joined the Liberal Democrats.

As reported yesterday, Mr Latham was recruited by Pauline Hanson to make robocalls to households in the Queensland marginal seat of Longman that attack Bill Shorten as dishonest and urges voters to support “minor parties and independents”. Senator Hanson said she would welcome Mr Latham joining her party and being elected to parliament as part of her team. Mr Latham, however, has not said whether he would seek to return to parliament or which party he might stand for.

Labor figures believe Mr Latham has been “seat shopping” for several years, itching to get back into parliament.

Last month, Mr Latham said he had been approached by four parties eager for him to run for office but did not identify them.

Mr Latham was the member for Werriwa from 1994 to 2005 and leader of the parliamentary Labor Party from 2003 to 2005.

He said he resigned from Labor last year after being denied a chance to address a party function, and subsequently joined the Liberal Democrats.

Senator David Leyonhjelm, who heads the Liberal Democrats, is expected to run in the No 1 position on the party’s NSW Senate ticket at the next election.