Winston Peters denies hiring political operatives dubbed the bad boys of Brexit, to help run NZ First campaign

The 'bad boys of Brexit', Arron Banks and Andy Wigmore. Photo / Getty

A pair of political operatives, dubbed the bad boys of Brexit, claim they have been hired by New Zealand First to create "mischief, mayhem and guerrilla warfare" in the upcoming election.

Arron Banks and Andy Wigmore said they would be lending their campaigning experience to Winston Peters' party as he attempts yet again to be king, or queen, maker after September 19.

"I'm going to be on the ground in New Zealand causing trouble - mischief, mayhem and guerrilla warfare in the New Zealand election," Wigmore told the Telegraph.

However NZ First leader Winston Peters subsequently denied the report.

"Not only have I not hired such a crew but it is impossible to see how they would even gain entry into the country," he said in a statement.

The party would make no further comment on "this rubbish", Peters said.

Banks and Wigmore, who published a diary called The Bad Boys of Brexit, were prolific anti-EU campaigners and formed a key part of the Brexit campaign in 2016.

Speaking to the Telegraph, Banks – who bankrolled the pro-Brexit group Leave.EU – said his team's goal was to boost New Zealand First's share of the vote to as high as 13 per cent.

That would be a more than 11 percentage point jump on current polling.

Banks said his team has deployed its top social media operatives and data experts to do all the creative work – "Andy [Wigmore] and I are giving Winston strategic advice".

He pointed out that Peters has always been a "huge supporter of the Commonwealth".

In mid-2016, Peters told the British House of Lords to "be bold and courageous" and ditch the EU.

Since then, Peters has boasted on a number of occasions that he accurately predicted the Brexit vote while the polls got it wrong.

Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters speaking to media on his way into the House. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Banks said Peters was a "more seasoned version of right-leaning Brexiter Nigel Farage" with a wealth of Government experience.

"He is one of very few current politicians that speaks fluent human and can relate to anyone," he said.

"He's in the same mould as Boris [Johnson] they speak truth on behalf of the ordinary people – he is always on the side of the people."

Peters has publicly praised Johnson on a number of occasions – last year he called him his friend.

"He's going to be the Prime Minister, and he's going to be an excellent Prime Minister. He's got what the ordinary British people want – character and courage," Peters said before Johnson was elected Prime Minister last year.

Banks said Peters has similar strengths to Johnson whereby he can have a direct conversation with the public.

He said social media was the perfect platform to do precisely that - and that is exactly what Peters has been doing as of late.

Peters has made headlines for controversial tweets in recent weeks, targeting the Green Party and the "woke" left.