Labour endorses Goff rerun

The Labour Party is formally endorsing Auckland mayor Phil Goff for a second term, should he decide to run again.

The party’s council backed the former Labour MP in the race, but will leave it up to the candidate to decide whether to run as a Labour candidate or an independent.

‘‘The council in its entirety will endorse him should he stand,’’ party president Nigel Haworth told Stuff.

Goff has previously said he would decide in early 2019 whether to seek a second term, but has hinted strongly that he would.

A member of Goff’s 2016 campaign said he was grateful for the party endorsement.

‘‘He has had a constructive relationship with central government since his election as mayor,’’ the campaign spokesperson said in a statement.

‘‘By working constructively with current ministers, he has been able to serve Auckland to make this city world class.’’

The statement didn’t address the question of whether, if there was a second campaign, it would be run as an independent or under the Labour banner.

If Goff ran under a Labour banner, it would break a tradition of mayoral candidates standing as independents regardless of their political persuasion.

He isn’t short of campaign funds for another run, with about $200,000 still in the kitty after his 2016 win.

A potential rival for the mayoralty now looks unlikely to run, with National’s Tamaki MP Simon O’Connor going cool on the idea.

‘‘It’s highly unlikely that I’m going to put my hand up,’’ O’Connor told Stuff, a month after confirming he’d been approached and would consider it over summer.

‘‘I can’t see me doing it. It’s flattering to be asked and there’s a lot to do, but I am happy being the MP for Tamaki and chairing [the] foreign affairs [defence and trade select committee]. There’s a lot more for me to do.’’ he said.

O’Connor said he’d let the issue ‘‘rest’’ over summer before finally deciding.