Key: Approach to Act not made on Williamson’s behalf
Act Party president John Thompson says former leader Don Brash left the clear impression his approach about National MP Maurice Williamson joining Act had been made on behalf of Mr Williamson.
Act has rebuffed the bid and Mr Williamson is refusing to talk about it.
But Prime Minister John Key said yesterday Mr Williamson assured him through text exchange that he did not ask anyone to make an approach on his be-
a half.
“He made it really, really clear that he hasn’t asked anybody — he hasn’t made any approach and he hasn’t asked anyone to advocate for him.”
But Mr Thompson told the Herald that when he met Dr Brash in an Auckland cafe the week before last, Dr Brash said something like: “Maurice has indicated he would like someone to approach the Act Party on his behalf”.
He was also left with the clear impression the bid to join Act was a plan to “party-hop” straight away.
“No byelection was discussed,” Mr Thompson said.
He and David Seymour, the Act leader and Epsom MP, opposed the idea, as did all other members of the board.
Mr Williamson was forced to resign as a minister in May last year when the Herald revealed he had contacted a high-ranking police officer about domestic violence charges laid against a wealthy businessman he was close to.
It is highly unlikely Mr Williamson would be made a minister again.
Act blew the whistle on the approach yesterday in its weekly newsletter, Free Press.
Mr Seymour later said that taking on a new MP who was having problems with his own party was the worst possible reason to get a new member.
Mr Seymour believed Dr Brash would not have made the approach to Act without Mr Williamson’s authority.
Dr Brash would not comment.
Mr Williamson has not returned calls.