Creech sounds out caucus on role as deputy leader

By EUGENE BINGHAM

WELLINGTON - National's deputy leader, Wyatt Creech, has sounded out colleagues on the support he has after suggestions that he could be dumped in a backlash to the party's drubbing in the polls.

While MPs and party officials have flocked in behind outgoing Prime Minister Jenny Shipley, Mr Creech's future does not seem as certain.

While dismissing talk of being overthrown as a "beatup," Mr Creech admitted he had canvassed the new caucus.

Asked whether he had its support, he said: "I do, I do."

After the first post-election caucus meeting yesterday, he said he was committed to remaining deputy leader.

"It wasn't even raised as an issue. I've got the support of caucus."

Like other National MPs, Mr Creech said he could not put his finger on what went wrong. "Naturally, we would have preferred to have won, but there's good spirit and we will be back in three years.

"I don't think the campaign went wrong. It was a case of it was someone else's turn - it wasn't an overwhelming endorsement of an alternative Government."

Senior party figures, however, have apportioned some of the blame for Saturday's loss to poor organisation in some electorates, and said a message was sent to MPs who turned their backs on their constituents.

One of the electorates in which National suffered heavily was Wairarapa - the seat Mr Creech won with an 8000-vote majority last election but did not contest this time.

Not only did Labour's Georgina Beyer beat the new National candidate in the constituency vote, Labour also beat National in the party vote, too.

List MP Georgina te Heuheu said Mrs Shipley undoubtedly had the support of caucus.

However, asked whether Mr Creech shared the same confidence, she said: "Not sure. I mean, this is our first caucus meeting since the election ... I have no comment to make about Wyatt Creech. I've got confidence in all of the people who make up the team that I'm part of."

Other MPs were more supportive. John Luxton said Mr Creech was secure, and Brian Neeson said: "Our leadership is totally, 100 per cent intact."

Maurice Williamson did not know if anything in particular had led to the party's downfall.

"I think there's an element of friends come and go and enemies accumulate, and after nine years in office the Government has done a lot of things. You upset people along the way. I think that's pretty much it."

Asked if he had confidence in the leadership, he said: "Without doubt, without doubt."

Mrs Shipley deflected questions about her own future and remained upbeat about the state of the party.

"Look, it was a very good discussion but this caucus is in very good heart. We've learned a lot, we intend to build from here and I'm very confident in the whole team."