National acts fast to free up Brash minder

Don Brash and Bill English.

National has freed its chief of staff Wayne Eagleson of some responsibilities so he can act as a political minder for Don Brash after the National leader's hellish week.

Mr Eagleson yesterday appointed research director Phil de Joux as his deputy chief of staff in an acknowledgement there were gaps in the political support Dr Brash was getting.

The change is understood to have been in the wings but the plan was fast-forwarded after Tuesday's press conference in which Dr Brash blundered, and Wednesday's photo opportunity which saw him walking across a wooden plank - a widely reproduced image which infuriated senior MPs.

They blamed the photo experience on an internal media management failure, believing Dr Brash should never have been exposed to the situation.

Although Dr Brash has shouldered the bulk of the blame for the press conference, there is also a feeling his senior team failed to properly assess potential risks and to ensure he was properly briefed.

The well-regarded Mr Eagleson, who worked for former Prime Minister Jim Bolger and then Transpower, has been bogged down in administration duties since he was appointed after the election, which has included appointing and training new staff.

Some senior party loyalists were reported to be devastated by Dr Brash's performance this week, questioning again why they allowed him to oust former leader Bill English.

National MPs ridiculed talk of a pending coup by Mr English, saying it was simply a Labour attempt to try to destabilise the National caucus and cast a shadow over a weekend regional conference in Palmerston North.

Some accused the Government of attempting to distract the media from trying to identify the Telecom leaker.

A distraught Mr English said the rumour was "absolutely not" true.

"I have done absolutely nothing since the election except to work to support the current leader ... All I've heard from caucus colleagues is support for the leader and willingness to work harder and do better."

"Labour ... are just trying to shake the National caucus but the good thing is the caucus is not going to be shaken by a few tricks by Trevor Mallard and Winston Peters."

Other senior MPs echoed the same sentiments, with some expressing concern about the impact on Mr English.

They were united in asserting that senior front bench colleagues had "locked in" around Dr Brash.

The fact that a handful of frontbenchers see themselves as potential aspirants to Dr Brash's throne would likely make it difficult for anyone to move to secure the numbers to depose Dr Brash while National's poll ratings remain high, or unless he stumbles again.

Keen to avoid any perception he might be trying to upstage his leader, Mr English opted not to join other past National leaders in speaking at the party's 70th birthday celebrations.

Dr Brash refused to respond to "unsubstantiated' rumours yesterday, but told reporters at the Thursday birthday event he did not believe his leadership was under threat.