By HELEN TUNNAH DEPUTY political editor
National MP Maurice Williamson has escaped expulsion from the party but has been told he will be thrown out if he launches any more public attacks on it or leader Bill English.
The decision, made by the party's board of directors yesterday, came as a relief to the maverick MP, who criticised the party on the eve of its last annual conference.
He has been suspended until the next election.
Mr English, who had promised that the MP would be "dealt with", was not speaking publicly last night.
He released a short statement: "I am happy with the board decision. It was very fair to Maurice, considering the circumstances."
Mr Williamson's suspension means he will not be able to contest his Pakuranga seat for National at the next election unless the penalty is lifted.
President Judy Kirk said he escaped expulsion only because of his long service.
Though National says it has left the door open for him to stay by avoiding expulsion, the outspoken MP has bought himself some valuable time. With Mr English's leadership under constant scrutiny, any change at the top could see Mr Williamson rehabilitated.
Last night, he said he was "very pleased" National had not expelled him. "There's a lot of water to go under the bridge between now and the next election," he said.
"I look forward to playing a constructive role in seeing National get re-elected during that time."
The decision to suspend him followed a meeting between him, his lawyer and the board last week. The Herald understands Mr Williamson was not entirely contrite at the meeting, choosing to justify his speaking out rather than apologise for it.
The decision of the board will be interpreted as a slap in the face for Mr English, with critics expected to suggest the decision undermines his leadership.
However, officials said Mr Williamson was the first MP suspended by the party - and the censure may still meet Mr English's July pledge that Mr Williamson's outbursts would be stopped.
The MP spoke out about the party's direction and leadership following its disastrous election result last year - which followed a running public battle with the president at the time, Michelle Boag - and he was suspended from its parliamentary wing last month after the outburst on the eve of the conference.
He called for the leader and other frontbench MPs to be set performance criteria linked to poll ratings or be sacked.
The headline-grabbing remarks angered delegates and forced Mr English to promise to end the ongoing criticisms.
"I can assure you the matter will be dealt with," he said.
The suspension means Mr Williamson can play no real role within the party and its policy and strategy development, or his own Pakuranga electorate organisation.
If he publicly criticises the party or leadership again, National's board of directors "retains the right to recommence proceedings to consider expulsion", Ms Kirk said.
The suspension is to the next election in 2005. But if it were lifted, Mr Williamson, who was first elected in 1987, could still be selected as National's Pakuranga candidate and take to the hustings wearing the party's colours again.
Ms Kirk said the board viewed his criticisms "very seriously".
"Public criticism of the party and other displays of party disunity are invariably punished by the voting public. Repeated displays are very destructive and prejudicial to the party."
Mr Williamson is today to meet his Pakuranga electorate committee, which last night was strongly supportive.
"We're quite dismayed about this," said deputy electorate chairman John Upton. "His analysis of the election was right on the button."
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