Party’s over for Top

Gareth Morgan’s The Opportunities Party (Top) is no more.

The party said yesterday that it had asked the Electoral Commission to cancel Top’s registration as a political party.

Morgan formed Top in late

2016. It got 2.4 per cent of the party vote in September’s election, below the 5 per cent threshold needed for a seat in Parliament.

In a statement yesterday, Morgan said: ‘‘Since the election the board has considered whether it would invest time and money in preparing the party to contest

2020 and after due consideration has decided against it.’’

Morgan, who sank more than

$2 million into his party, in December announced his resignation as leader, but said he would stay on until a replacement was found to lead the party at the

2020 election. The same day, deputy leader Geoff Simmons also stepped down, along with Õhãriu candidate Jessica Hammond-Doube and Waitaki candidate Kevin Neill.

Controversy surrounded the party during and following the election, largely due to Morgan’s personality and his decisions as leader.

In his statement yesterday, Morgan took aim at the Labour Party’s rise in popularity when now Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern became leader: ‘‘What makes the New Zealand voter tick is clear.’’

Deputy leader Geoff Simmons previously identified Morgan’s ‘‘lipstick on a pig’’ comment – referring to Ardern taking the leadership – as a turning point in the campaign where TOP lost momentum.

TOP is one of New Zealand’s shorter-lived parties, having survived just under two years. The party, largely funded by Morgan, spent about $2.3 million on the 2017 election – more than Labour’s $1.6m.