Dunne feels sorry for LibDems

Peter Dunne watching a senior club rugby match between in Tawa. Photo / Mark Mitchell

The Liberal Democrats were trounced in the United Kingdom elections but have a sympathetic ear in New Zealand in the form of United Future leader Peter Dunne.

As the results showed the LibDems were set to lose more than 20 seats, Mr Dunne tweeted, "Looks like curse of Government support parties has extended to @LibDems - I know the feeling!"

Mr Dunne has worked with both Labour and National in government and his party has dropped from a high of eight MPs in 2002 to just Mr Dunne since 2008.

He said it was not his place to offer the LibDems advice on whether they should go back into a governing arrangement if they were needed.

"You've got the dilemma. You stay outside Government and you won't achieve anything other than the satisfaction of being a permanent critic, or you go into Government, you achieve some key policies and then you incur the wrath of voters. It seems what this election has shown is it doesn't matter whether it is MMP in New Zealand or First Past the Post in Britain, it is the same outcome."

He said he did not know the LibDems leader Nick Clegg but did know others in the party. "I don't think they would be surprised they've taken a big hit but I think the size of the hit will shock them."

The election results are almost certain to see the Conservative Party form the next Government.

New Zealanders will have at least one Tory to go in to bat for them after London Mayor Boris Johnson was elected to Parliament. Mr Johnson has advocated for Kiwis to have open access to move to work in the United Kingdom since the Government tightened immigration rules.