Rudd’s hubris

In a stunning display of hubris, former PM Kevin Rudd has listed his conditions for a return to the leadership of the party.  While his backers are claiming they now have the numbers to depose Gillard, Rudd appears to be demanding that her supporters such as power broker, Bill Shorten commit to him and essentially kiss his behind: 

KEVIN Rudd has privately warned colleagues that unless Bill Shorten and other key ministers were prepared to publicly put their name to a putsch against Julia Gillard, he would resist any calls for a comeback. 

Senior Labor sources close to Mr Rudd have confirmed he has put conditions on any potential return to the leadership, including the demand that Mr Shorten played a role. … 

… A source close to Mr Rudd revealed yesterday he would now not be part of a move to replace Ms Gillard unless key ministers, including some of Ms Gillard's supporters, declared their hand and "owned the decision". Several key ministers previously loyal to Ms Gillard have privately said they now supported the need for change but were reluctant to be involved in a spill. 

"If they want this to happen, then they have to have the guts to put their name to it," one of Mr Rudd's confidantes said. "And if they don't, they can go and fall off the cliff.  "No one is getting a free ride.” 

Those that Mr Rudd would want to put their hand up include other ministers such as Penny Wong, Greg Combet and Jenny Macklin.

Rudd has claimed to be a softer, gentler, more consultative guy of late, ‘who accepts that he made mistakes’ but this action indicates that he has learned nothing.  He still has the old authoritarian approach to the party and seems to think that accepting the leadership is a favour rather than a responsibility.