Winston Peters says he would have advised Christopher Luxon against caucus confidence vote

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters says if he had spoken to Christopher Luxon before yesterday’s confidence vote, he would have advised the Prime Minister against it.

The Prime Minister remained the National Party leader after the party’s caucus voted in support of him. Luxon had raised a formal motion of confidence during a three-hour caucus meeting yesterday.

Speaking on Ryan Bridge TODAY, Peters said the “unprecedented” series of events sent the wrong message to voters.

“When something unprecedented like that happens, it invites a similar thing to happen next time there is, guess what? ... a series of bad polls. It’s inevitable,” said the Foreign Affairs Minister.

“This is not helping at all, and, I suppose, if you take your eyes off the prize, which is economic and social recovery in New Zealand, then it’s not surprising that this sort of internecine strife within a political party is happening.”

Peters said if he had spoken to the Prime Minister before “the event”, he would have advised him against it.

“You’ve got to ask yourself, so what would be the wisdom and the logic behind that?”

It sends the wrong message to voters, said Peters.

“Mary and Joe Bloggs, who want stability, who are concerned about economic and social recovery, it sends the wrong signal to them.”

Yesterday, Peters told reporters the vote was a “very bad move” and that there would be “consequences for that”.

Winston Peters says if he spoke to Christopher Luxon before yesterday’s confidence vote, he would have advised against it. Photos / NZME

Finance Minister and Deputy Leader of the National Party Nicola Willis was today adamant Luxon would lead the party into this year’s election, firing a salvo at the coalition partner.

She described the possibility of Peters working with Labour in a future government as a “live risk” when speaking to Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking.

“This is just election year politics. He’s working to get his votes; we’re working to get ours.

“There’s always a risk with NZ First, it’s a live risk, that they’ll get into bed with Hipkins, Swarbrick, the Greens … which is a bad recipe for New Zealand.”

While Peters has repeatedly indicated he would not work with Labour leader Chris Hipkins, Willis said she would “never forget” when Peters chose Labour over National after the 2017 election.

She said the National Party’s confidence vote in Luxon was “emphatic”.

“I was in that caucus room, and I can tell you, there was overwhelming support for the leader.”

She told Ryan Bridge TODAY, National Party whip Stuart Smith told her he had not asked for a meeting with the Prime Minister.

“I spoke to him [Smith] earlier in the week, and I said to him, ‘what is all this business? I’m not aware of you asking for a meeting, did you?’ And he said ‘no’.”

The Herald reported on Friday multiple National sources saying Smith had tried and failed to contact Luxon about wavering caucus support - a report Smith would not respond to until yesterday, when he denied it.