FORMER Attorney-General Nicola Roxon has delivered a blistering rebuke of Kevin Rudd, declaring his knifing in 2010 was an "act of political bastardry" justified because the former prime minister was "a bastard himself to so many people". And Ms Roxon, who quit the frontbench four months before Mr Rudd returned to the top job in June, said the vanquished prime minister must now leave parliament or the performance of any Labor leader would be constantly compared to Mr Rudd's popularity.
Delivering the John Button Memorial Lecture in Melbourne on Wednesday night, Ms Roxon gave a stunning critique of Labor last term in office and defended the decision to dump Mr Rudd in favour of Julia Gillard during his first term.
"Removing Kevin was an act of political bastardry, for sure. But this act of political bastardry was made possible only because Kevin had been such a bastard himself to so many people," Ms Roxon said.
