Collins ‘not interested’ in top job

National MP Judith Collins has come right up to the precipice of ruling out a leadership run without actually doing so.

Responding to a Newshub/Reid Research poll that put her slightly ahead of National leader Simon Bridges in the preferred prime minister stakes, Collins gave media just enough to keep chewing on as she headed into caucus.

Monday night’s poll had the National Party six points behind Labour at 41.6 per cent to 47.5 per cent. Worse for Bridges, it also put his preferred prime minister figures at 5 per cent – behind his own MP Collins at 6.2 per cent.

‘‘The person I’m most pleased with beating is Winston Peters,’’ Collins said yesterday.

She refused to rule out becoming leader of the party, and would not say whether anyone had approached her about taking over.

‘‘People talk to me all the time about lots of things.’’

Collins said it ‘‘wasn’t for me to say’’ whether she was the person to beat Labour’s Jacinda Ardern in 2020, describing it as a ‘‘terrible job’’.

She has run for the leadership of the National Party twice – when John Key resigned, and again when Bill English resigned.

‘‘People need to understand opposition leader is the toughest job in politics. I’ve seen a few come and go, and people need to understand it’s a tough job,’’ Collins said.

She insisted that she wasn’t interested in the role but did not say she would refuse it.

Bridges himself said polls ‘‘jump around’’ and he didn’t believe Collins had any leadership ambitions.