Stuff reports:
He repeated his claim that it would be represented in Parliament, whether or not it achieved the 5 per cent MMP threshold for list seats, because a sitting electorate MP would join.
He would not name the person or say which party he or she represented, because of a confidentiality agreement, but it was not Harawira. The MP’s name would be revealed in June.
There are 70 electorate MPs. 42 in National, 22 in Labour, three in Maori Party, and one each in ACT, United Future and Mana. He says it is not Harawira. Well with respect, I’d say the claim is bullshit, and designed to make them seem relevant and undo the damage done from his vow to wind up the party and endorse another if not at 5%.
Banks is not standing again, and neither is Sharples nor Turia. None would be interested anyway, and no way Peter Dunne would do that. Flavell is co-leader of Maori Party and not going to defect to the guy seeking to do a deal with Hone.
So that leaves National and Labour. Dotcom hates John Key and National so it won’t be a National MP. So that leaves the 22 Labour MPs. I know some of them don’t like their leader, but none of them are going to jump ship to Dotcom – for the very simple reason they’d lose their seat. All but a few MPs win their seats because of their party, not because of them.
I guarantee you come June, they will announce the MP has decided not to join. Dotcom has a history of making fantastical claims, and without proof, they should be pretty much ignored.
Political commentator David Farrar posts at Kiwiblog.