Key's Epsom plan not everyone's cup of tea

Paul Goldsmith and John Key.

Prime Minister John Key slotted in his first campaign visit to the Epsom electorate yesterday and found not everybody was willing to go along with his instructions to vote for Act's David Seymour.

Among those he met on his walkabout with Epsom candidate Paul Goldsmith was Rob Hunt, who is Goldsmith's former Japanese teacher from Auckland Grammar.

Hunt, who is former Labour MP Jonathan Hunt's brother, said he was voting for Goldsmith. "He knows the area, he grew up here. Everyone should vote for him." His response to the voting instruction was: "Good Lord - there's nothing there."

Key hit Nuffield St and Broadway shops for a quick walkabout he said was aimed at ensuring National's party vote was bolstered.

Many he met were willing to split their vote as ordered. Husband and wife Dennis Mahony and Diane Howe ran into Key on their way to cast an early vote. Both were splitting their vote National/Seymour.

Howe said she had nothing against Goldsmith and hoped he'd get in on the list.

This time round Key gave a clear message to Epsom to vote for Seymour to help ensure National had support partners. Unlike 2008 and 2011 no "cup of tea" meeting is planned to reinforce that message.

Key said there were no plans for him to meet Seymour, although he had bumped into him outside the butcher's. "So anything's possible but it's not the intention," Key said.

Goldsmith did have two other votes in the bag: Key, an Epsom voter, said he will vote for Goldsmith. Goldsmith was also breaking the Prime Minister's instructions by voting for himself.