David Lange, Michael Bassett, Roger Douglas and Mike Moore became known as the "Fish and Chip Brigade" after the above photo was published, 1980. (Photo / Herald Archive)

Michael Bassett remembers fellow 'fish and chip brigade' member Mike Moore (1)

Author: Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date: Sun, 9 Feb 2020, 5:44PM

Former New Zealand prime minister Mike Moore passed away early this morning aged 71.

Moore was at his home in Auckland when he died, his wife Yvonne said.

Moore, who was the country's 34th prime minister, suffered a stroke in 2015 when he was New Zealand's ambassador in Washington DC and had been in declining health in recent years.

He became the prime minister for 59 days before the October 1990 general election.

Following Labour's defeat in that election, Moore served as Leader of the Opposition until the 1993 election, after which Helen Clark successfully challenged him for the Labour Party leadership.

Mike Moore was a member of the "fish and chip brigade" made famous in a photograph by Herald photographer Geoff Dale of Labour plotters Roger Douglas, Mike Moore, Michael Bassett and David Lange, who brought down leader Bill Rowling in 1983.

Bassett joined The Weekend Collective to reflect on their time working together as MPs and Ministers, and what Moore's legacy will be.