Horan lifts lid on new party plan

No longer facing the threat of legal action over his dead mother's estate, former NZ First MP Brendan Horan plans to launch a new political party on principles of grassroots democracy.

Mr Horan has been an independent MP since being expelled from NZ First in December 2012 after his half-brother Mana Ormsby claimed he had inappropriately used their mother's bank cards as she was dying.

But in his final determination, the executor of Olwen Horan's estate, John Buckthought, says an investigation into the claims found no evidence which enabled him to find any claim against Mr Horan.

Yesterday Mr Horan, who will stand this year in Tauranga against National MP and Cabinet minister Simon Bridges, confirmed he was working on forming the New Zealand Independent Coalition, a party structure that would give independent MPs access to parliamentary funding and other resources.

Anyone who made it into Parliament with the party would not be obliged to vote on legislation along party lines but would instead be required to vote according to the wishes of party members in their electorate as determined in polls conducted using "mobile digital technology".

"The overarching philosophy is to give New Zealanders a voice because what we've had is MPs putting the party first.

"There must be a mechanism that will allow New Zealanders to have a voice throughout the parliamentary term and not just once every three years and I believe this is it."