Barclay should go now – Dickson

The woman at the centre of the scandal around ousted National MP Todd Barclay says he should have resigned immediately rather than wait until the election.

Glenys Dickson worked for Barclay in the Clutha-Southland MP’s Gore electorate office until last year. She resigned after learning Barclay had covertly recorded her.

Barclay initially denied any wrongdoing and told media there had been complaints about Dickson. After Newsroom revealed this week that that was false, that Prime Minister Bill English knew Barclay had recorded Dickson and that Dickson had received a settlement, the young MP announced he would not stand in the Clutha-Southland electorate in September’s general election.

Speaking for the first time since the revelations, Dickson said he should have gone earlier.

‘‘I feel the honourable thing to do perhaps was to just resign immediately.’’

She said she felt ‘‘quite sad’’ for Barclay. ‘‘He had a very bright future ahead of him and he just let himself down. There actually isn’t any joy in me for going through this process.’’

Dickson said she was undecided about any future she might have with the National Party. She is a Gore District councillor.

‘‘I just want to get on with my life and be a good councillor.’’

Barclay’s demise means National has a month to find a replacement.

Its constitution says candidate selections must be made within two months of the date of a general election, in this case by July 23.

Finance Minister Steven Joyce, who is also National’s campaign manager, highlighted the time constraints during a visit to Gore and Balclutha on Wednesday.

‘‘With less than 100 days to the election, this needs to be done expeditiously,’’ he said.

The process is controlled by the Clutha-Southland electorate committee, under directions from the party board.

National Party president Peter Goodfellow said the selection schedule would be announced shortly.

Party sources have suggested Hamish Walker, who impressed in the Labour stronghold of Dunedin South in the 2014 election, as a contender. Gore District councillor Nicky Davis, who sought the nomination in 2014, and former Merrill Lynch investment fund manager Simon Flood, who challenged Barclay for the candidacy last year, could also be in the mix.