Mounting questions over Shearer's Labour leadership

There are mounting questions over David Shearer's leadership of the Labour Party.

He's to make his first speech to the annual Labour Party conference this weekend, but many think it might also be his last.

Media commentator Brian Edwards, a critic of Mr Shearer, believes the leader's in real trouble.

"There's been a whole chorus of people now saying that it's time for him to go, and that would be disturbing enough, except that it's mainly from the left."

Brian Edwards thinks the Labour caucus should have picked someone else in the first place.

But Shearer is dismissing  any talk about a risk to his leadership as nothing more than the fertile imagination of right-wing bloggers.

"I think a lot of it is around bloggers talking to each other, and I'm sort of surprised that others have been asking these questions. I am doing a good job as a leader because Labour has come up in the opinion polls and National have come down."

If there's love lost for Mr Shearer in Labour at least he has the endorsement of the Prime Minister.

"I'm sure he is a genuinely nice guy."

Photo: David Shearer (Getty Images)