Newstalk ZB
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will shortly speak to media, after an exclusive report from the Herald this morning which detailed further speculation about the stability of his leadership. Luxon, the National Party leader, is expected to speak to reporters at around 12.15pm in Pōkeno, south of Auckland. A livestream of the press conference will be at the top of this article. The Herald this morning reported National Party sources as saying Luxon will likely face the two most difficult weeks of his leadership when Parliament returns next week from its current recess. It’s understood that those within the party who believe Luxon should vacate the leadership will make a move against him in the coming fortnight, though that is unlikely to be a formal challenge or confidence vote in the first case. Initially, MPs may present Luxon with evidence that his support within the National caucus is flagging. This could potentially trigger his resignation and, therefore, a change in leadership. Should Luxon decide not to resign, it is possible a challenge will occur. As the Herald reported this morning, there is no current formal challenger but there is a group of MPs who no longer support Luxon as leader. While they may be privately raising questions about Luxon’s leadership, they may not have the numbers to successfully roll him. The Herald also revealed National’s senior whip Stuart Smith, whose job it is to act as a conduit between the caucus and the leadership, tried to contact Luxon about ructions in caucus in the last week of the most recent sitting bloc. Luxon could not be contacted by Smith, sources said. This meant Smith could not relay the information to Luxon, which may have triggered the process for his potential departure as leader, sources said. Smith did get in touch with National deputy leader Nicola Willis, who is believed to still be in Luxon’s camp and does not favour change. One ally said that getting in touch with Willis was as good as contacting the Prime Minister. The stability of Luxon's leadership has been put into question. Photo / Mark Mitchell Earlier, Chris Bishop, who has been rumoured as a potential leadership candidate, told Mike Hosking on Newstalk ZB he wouldn’t be the National leader before the election. He described speculation as “untidy and unhelpful”. Asked to rule out being involved in a coup or putting pressure on the Prime Minister to resign, he responded: “I am not trying to upend the party. That is not happening ... There is no coup happening. I am trying to fix the RMA.” However, he also admitted, “everyone wants us to do better”. “That is a statement of reality. People want us to do better and I know the Prime Minister wants us to do better as well.” Other ministers came into bat for Luxon, including Mark Mitchell, Paul Goldsmith and Todd McClay. Mitchell told Ryan Bridge on Herald NOW: I am rock solid behind our leader, Chris Luxon. He is doing a bloody great job for us as a country.” Goldsmith sent a message to nervous National MPs: “Hold your nerve, knuckle down and we are going to do well.” McClay said Luxon had his “absolute undying support”.
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