Brash denies promise to go

Don Brash

Don Brash is denying a claim that he made a private commitment to at least some colleagues after the election to relinquish the leadership.

Former National ministerial staffer and right-wing political commentator Matthew Hooton made the claim on Radio New Zealand yesterday.

He called on Dr Brash to bring together Bill English, John Key and Gerry Brownlee - whom Mr Hooton described as the potential successors - to reach a "settlement" about the leadership transition.

He maintained Dr Brash "did indicate publicly before the election and then quite widely privately after the election that he would stand down in a managed process ... "

"And then something happened over Christmas ... and he has to some extent reneged on a commitment to hand the leadership over in a managed fashion.

"It's a very sad situation ... really, because it seems that Dr Brash does want to cling on to his leadership despite the fact that he's not ever credibly going to be Prime Minister."

Asked about the claim, Dr Brash first said through a spokesman he had no comment. Late yesterday the spokesman said Dr Brash rejected Hooton's claim. "He's wrong."

Dr Brash told RNZ early yesterday that he had unfinished business and did not intend to step down.

"I came into politics not quite four years ago to achieve something important - namely to narrow the gap in living standards between New Zealand and Australia."

A TV3 poll on the weekend had Labour on 42 per cent support and National on 41 per cent.