Jacinda Ardern's husband Clarke Gayford slams trolls over online abuse: New ... trends now
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Jacinda Ardern's partner has slammed trolls who subjected her to vile abuse during her five-and-a-half years as New Zealand's prime minister.
Clarke Gayford said Ms Ardern's shock resignation last week had reduced strangers to tears and that online abuse came from the 'noisiest dregs'.
Hailed by progressives in NZ and around the globe, she won almost universal praise for her leadership, particularly in the aftermath of the 2019 Christchurch massacre.
But her reputation began to sour among many Kiwis when the Covid pandemic struck in early 2020, as she enforced very strict lockdowns and closed the nation's borders leaving citizens around the world stranded.
Jacinda Ardern, right, hugs her fiancée Clark Gayford after announcing her resignation as New Zealand's prime minister on Thursday, January 19, 2023
Jacinda Ardern's partner posted a message on social media on Wednesday (pictured) calling online trolls 'noisy dregs'
There were constant protests outside parliament in Wellington, which sometimes spilled over into violence, and a huge amount of online abuse and threats.
There were also accusations that when their daughter Neve was born that Ms Ardern had become a 'part-time PM'.
When she came to power her fiancée was also the