Bridges denies National MPs involved in spreading rumours
WELLINGTON: National Party leader Simon Bridges denies any of his MPs are behind false rumours about the Prime Minister’s partner Clarke Gayford.
Mr Bridges said Jacinda Ardern and Mr Gayford had his ‘‘heartfelt sympathy’’ after Police Commissioner Mike Bush took the unusual step on Tuesday of authorising a statement about rumours circulating about Mr Gayford.
The Police National Headquarters said Mr Gayford was not the subject of any police inquiry.
‘‘While in general we do not respond to inquiries which seek to confirm if individuals are under police investigation, on this occasion we can say that Mr Gayford is not and has not been the subject of any police inquiry, nor has he been charged in relation to any matter,’’ the statement said.
Mr Bridges said he told his caucus on Tuesday he would ‘‘not tolerate National MPs peddling rumours or innuendo’’.
Asked if he was aware whether any of his MPs had been spreading rumours, Mr Bridges said to the best of his knowledge none had been.
‘‘I do not believe the National Party is involved in this in any way.’’
Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters was not so reticent.
‘‘The Prime Minister might be reserved about it but this is part of a dirty campaign and it’s clearly been going on for some time,’’ Mr Peters said yesterday.
‘‘The only people who would be behind it would be the people who would seek to be politically advan taged by it. Have a wild guess who that might be.’’
As a victim of a rumour campaign himself, he was ‘‘not going to stand around here and let people plead their innocence when their background has been one, in some cases, of engaging in political filth and dirt’’.
Mr Peters took legal action against National Party figures last year after details of a superannuation overpayment were leaked.
Mr Bridges said he had not spoken to Ms Ardern but had asked his chief of staff to convey to Ms Ardern’s chief of staff that National was not involved.
Ms Ardern, who initially described the false rumours as ‘‘dirty politics’’, said she was not interested in pointing ‘‘fingers of blame’’ at who was behind them.
‘‘My job is to run the country, to try and build a better future for New Zealand. This has got nothing to do with my job so I’m not going to comment on it.’’