Peters stands by move to dump Horan

Brendan Horan

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters is standing by his decision to force Brendan Horan out of his party.

It has been reported that Mr Horan, pictured, will receive a $40,000 share of his late mother's estate after a lengthy legal battle amid accusations he inappropriately used Olwen Horan's bank cards.

Fairfax said it had learnt that a settlement had been reached after the executor of Mrs Horan's will, John Buckthought, had decided the estate should be settled before all the money was spent on legal bills.

Mr Horan was removed from New Zealand First in December after the allegations arose last year and he is now an independent MP.

Speaking yesterday at the New Zealand First annual conference in Christchurch, Mr Peters said he knew the matter would end as it apparently had.

"When you threaten to eat up all the estate in a legal wrangle so there's nothing to be fighting over in the end, that's the likely outcome. I knew that was going to happen some time back."

Asked whether he stood by his decision to kick Mr Horan out of the party, Mr Peters said "utterly".

"His mother said he was taking money off her wrongly. She put it in a codicil, that's all the evidence I need.

"But there's lots of other evidence why I acted as well."

Mr Horan said he would not comment on personal family matters but told the Bay of Plenty Times he had not considered seeking to be reinstated as part of NZ First.