Brash Act coup shaky as Boscawen backs Hide

Act deputy leader John Boscawen, left, last night confirmed he would vote for Rodney Hide in a leadership challenge. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Act Deputy Leader John Boscawen may have delivered a fatal blow to Don Brash's attempted coup of the Act Party leadership, saying for the first time that he would vote for the incumbent Rodney Hide in a leadership challenge.

On Sunday he told the Herald he was "100 per cent" behind Mr Hide.

But when asked if he would vote for him, he refused to comment.

Last night Mr Boscawen gave exactly the same response to One News, fuelling speculation that he might not support Mr Hide in a vote.

But late last night, he he said through a spokesman that "in the event of a vote on the leadership, John Boscawen would vote for Rodney Hide to remain leader".

Act MP Hilary Calvert yesterday confirmed her support for Mr Hide over Dr Brash, giving Mr Hide the three votes he would need in caucus to see off a challenge.

While his leadership coup appears in tatters, Dr Brash looks likely to form a new party to rival Act.

Mr Boscawen's decision has raised speculation that Dr Brash and his supporter John Banks - a former National Party cabinet minister and ex-mayor of Auckland - could target the seat of Tamaki, in which Mr Boscawen has been selected as Act candidate.

National's Allan Peachey held the Tamaki seat in 2008 with a 17,020 vote majority.

Dr Brash said last night he was not giving up on his leadership bid, and he was not making any assumptions about how the Act MPs might vote.

"The market research I have commissioned won't be available till early next week, and if it shows there is a material difference in support for Act, depending on who is the leader, I would expect all caucus members to take that into account."

He said if his bid failed and he set up a new party, it would target electorates such as Epsom and Tamaki, as well as others.

Prime Minister John Key, who is in London, would not rule out working with Dr Brash.

Last week Mr Key said National would primarily target the party vote in Epsom, potentially giving Mr Hide an easier run, but yesterday he said the strategy could change.

"That is not locked in stone ... We haven't had formalised discussions with the Act Party," he told Newstalk ZB.

Act president Chris Simmons said he was still waiting for Dr Brash to join the party, and he would not give him any special treatment.

"He's got to resign from the National Party and file an application to join the Act Party. At the moment we don't have a membership application from him."

He said the board would be reluctant to overturn a caucus decision on the leadership.

"If the caucus votes for Don, they've told Rodney they have no confidence in him as leader.

"If the board overturned it, then you'd have a board and caucus in conflict ... It would be a constitutional headache."

Act board member Geoff Russell said Dr Brash did not have his vote.

"He probably would have had more credibility [if he hadn't have said], 'Look, if you don't go my way, I'll destroy you'."

A poll leaked to 3 News and conducted in February showed Mr Banks with 35 per cent support in Epsom, ahead of Mr Hide on 14 per cent.

Super City mayoralty candidate Colin Craig said polling he had done showed a similar lack of support for Mr Hide in Epsom.

Mr Hide has dismissed the results because of loaded questions.

"Maybe he's right. Maybe he's still a popular guy [in Epsom]," Mr Craig said.

He said if Dr Brash and Mr Banks set up a new political party, he would consider joining it, and even financially supporting it.

"It would be conditional.

"I'm not against putting funds into something that represents what I think are the key issues."

But he was not interested in joining Act, regardless of whether or not it was led by Dr Brash.

"My roots tend to be conservative.

"I don't subscribe to a libertarian agenda."

United Future leader Peter Dunne called Dr Brash an "arrogant old man" who was driven by impractical ideology.

"A National-led government beholden to these extremists would be just as bad as a Labour-led government held hostage by the Greens and Hone Harawira."

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters said Dr Brash's bid was a "sneaky plan by National and Act interests to form a newgovernment that will asset-strip thecountry, keep wages low and attack superannuation."

Former Act leader Richard Prebble refused to comment yesterday.

BOARD TALK

Chris Simmons, business consultant: "I find [Dr Brash's] approach to be bizarre. Don's turned it into a leadership conflict that has painted people into corners."

Bruce Haycock, self-employed business consultant: "It's premature to be commenting. Our board hasn't met yet. We haven't found a way to discuss it in view of the fact that Dr Brash is not a party member."

Rodney Hide, MP: "I support Act."

John Boscawen, MP: Supports Rodney Hide's leadership "100 per cent", and would vote for him to remain leader.

Hilary Calvert, MP: Supports Rodney Hide and would vote for him in a challenge by Don Brash.

Nick Kearney, lawyer: "There are far too many unanswered questions for me to be comfortable about the proposal at the moment. My support has always been for Rodney Hide, and it is cast-iron 100 per cent behind him."

Geoff Russell, company director: "He probably would have had more credibility [if he hadn't have said], 'Look, if you don't go my way, I'll destroy you'. I'm certainly not in the Brash camp."

Barbara Steinijans, retired: "The board needs to discuss these things first."

Peter McCaffrey, student: No comment.

Rob Douglas: No comment.

Did not return calls: Hamish Stevens, Colin Nicholls.