Ardern, Collins, Seymour and Swarbrick puppets to be revealed at Backbencher pub event

Some of the country’s top political leaders are set to be immortalised in a very Wellington manner – as latex puppets revealed in the pub right opposite Parliament.

It is a decades-old tradition at the Backbenchers Gastropub, and for Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern it will be her second time, after the first puppet in 2018 cemented her skills as a DJ.

The puppet, lit by disco lights and holding a set of headphones while spinning decks, was kitted out in a red tracksuit with a toothy grin.

Along with a new version of the Prime Minister, three new politicians will join the infamous ranks: National Party leader Judith Collins, Act Party leader David Seymour and Green MP Chloe Swarbrick.

Backbencher pub owner Alistair Boyce said tonight there were four politicians from “different ends of the spectrum”.

Without revealing too much he said Ardern’s new puppet would be “heavenly”.

Though he expected the puppets for Swarbrick and Seymour to attract a lot of attention.

All four puppets were based on cartoons by Murray Webb and Jeff Bell, and created by Bryce Curtis.

“You can expect a bit of fireworks, unusual music and responses,” Boyce said.

“And a hell of a lot of fun.”

Boyce told 1News sometimes it could be difficult to pick which politicians make the final cut.

“The no brainer is the Prime Minister, The Leader of the Opposition, and then it gets difficult,” Boyce said.

“We had to make some hard decisions as to who would be around and for how long and how big a contribution, they’re likely to make over the decades to come, and that actually became quite easy, so it was Chlöe Swarbrick and David Seymour.”

The event starts at 5pm, with Ardern’s puppet unveiled at 6.15pm, Collins’ at 6.50pm, Seymour’s at 7pm and Swarbrick’s at 7.30pm.

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