Opposition MPs call Barclay affair a clear cover-up

Embattled National MP Todd Barclay will be standing down as a candidate in the 2017 election.

The Clutha-Southland MP will leave Parliament at the end of this term, he says.

“I got into politics because I was inspired by the people I worked for, Bill English, Gerry Brownlee and Hekia Parata. I wanted the opportunity to make my contribution too.

“It was the proudest moment of my life to have been elected the MP for Clutha-Southland. I have been privileged to serve the people of Clutha-Southland’s interests and have thrown my heart and soul into working for them.”

What the opposition say
Opposition parties' response has come in hard and fast, with NZ First leader Winston Peters saying it was the "most clean political scandal" he has seen in "a long, long time."

Labour leader Andrew Little says the saga was a clear cover-up by the National Party. 

"I’m sure there were others involved. They were doing everything they could to conceal this from the public."

He says once an issue like this becomes a matter subject to criminal investigation, MPs have a "moral duty" to cooperate with the police and to make sure their colleague do as well. 

"MPs are not like every other citizen. We have enormous privilege, we are different from everyone else and we ought to be exemplary in our conduct."

'A tough decision, but the right one'
Fronting up to media after Mr Barclay's announcement, Mr English says he did not discuss the decision to resign with Mr Barclay. Other senior party MPs were consulted. In Mr English's words, it happened "pretty quickly."

Asked what has changed since yesterday when Mr Barclay indicated he wouldn't resign, Mr English says "he has made a very difficult decision for a young politician but it was the right one. 

"The circumstances of this have been well known in the media and in the community for a long time."

Asked why he thought this was the "right decision," Mr English says it means the government can get back to "focusing on the issues that matter to the country, rather than internal [party] issues."

Mr English continued, rejecting claims he has a divided party.

Asked if the fact Mr Barclay taped his secretary was in doubt, Mr English referred reporters to the Police statement.

“What he told me is what is in the Police statement – that matter was investigated by the Police and they closed their investigation without coming to a conclusion.

“So the significance of what he told me is really a matter for the police to weigh up with whatever else they did and I have no knowledge of whatever else they did in that investigation.”

Hard decision
Mr Barclay says he is proud of the work he has done "and grateful to have worked with so many passionate and amazing people.”

“I don’t want the issues that are important for Clutha-Southland and all of New Zealand to be distracted by an employment dispute.”

He says it was a hard decision but it was in the best interest for the National Party, and the government.

Last night, Mr Barclay apologised for giving “misleading answers” to media but stopped short of resigning.

In the minute and a half long press conference – where reporters were given 10 minutes’ notice and Mr Barclay walked away without taking questions – he says he accepts comments Prime Minister Bill English made earlier that day that it had been Mr Barclay who told him he had secretly recorded a staff member in 2015.

This is at odds with both Mr Barclay's previous denials of making such a recording and with Mr English's earlier comments that he could not recall who told him there was a recording.

 “I should not have been as specific in my comments to the media today about the allegations,” Mr Barclay told reporters last night.

He was unable to comment further for “legal reasons” but the legal dispute has been resolved and is the subject of a confidentiality agreement.

Hush money
Asked about the 'hush money' paid to Mr Barclay's electorate secretary after her resignation that came out of the Prime Minister’s budget, Mr English was defensive.

“I simply don’t accept that assertion,” he says. “Any employee in New Zealand has a set of rights and every employer has a set of obligations. It’s no unusual at all to have employment disputes.”

When disputes do arise, Mr English says they are resolved in the same way as any other employment disputes – “either through the courts or by settlement.”

He says he was not party to the settlement and had “no role” in the employment dispute.

“I don’t know what was settled, other than a general indication in a published text of mine.”