Labour's party list shrouded in fog

The woman set to become Labour's newest MP says she won't throw her "toys out of the cot" if the party snubs her on its list.

Lesley Soper is set to fill former Speaker Jonathan Hunt's seat in Parliament when he leaves at the end of the month.

Ms Soper was Labour's candidate last election in the Clutha-Southland electorate held by National MP Bill English.

The Labour hierarchy held its national list selection meeting in Auckland yesterday, but aborted plans to make the list public last night, claiming fog at Wellington Airport had delayed the process.

An announcement will instead be made today.

Party officials denied the delay was a result of tensions at the meeting, but National MP Murray McCully said "the only possible reason is last-minute pressure from people who are unhappy".

The Herald understands Ms Soper was one party member unhappy with plans before the meeting to deny her the priority placement on the list accorded to all sitting MPs.

Because she won't be sworn in until April 5, senior party members planned to argue they were following the rules because she was technically not an MP when the selection process occurred.

Neither have they touted her as a high-flying aspiring MP.

This means she could give up her job for just a few months in Parliament as an MP, given Mr English is unlikely to lose his seat.

Ms Soper would not confirm the results yesterday or say whether the Labour moderating committee had had a change of heart.

But she said she had resolved to become an MP regardless of the list.

Service and Food Workers Union general secretary Darien Fenton is believed to have had union help lobbying the moderating committee for a safe list position over the weekend.

But she has missed out on a safe spot and faces a battle to get into Parliament, after other newcomers from the party's Auckland region won higher placings.

They included Shane Jones - the top-rated newcomer - Steven Ching and Maryan Street.

- additional reporting: NZPA