Former National Party leader Don Brash says he believed Simon Bridges could well be a successful leader if he rose to the post again, but if Christopher Luxon clearly had the numbers against him a deal could be worth taking.
Brash said on Newstalk ZB's Mike Hosking Breakfast that he did not know Bridges' rival for the post, Christopher Luxon, well but he did have a "high regard" for Bridges and considered him a person of "real integrity".
He said Bridges was older and wiser now and had the character and qualifications to be a good leader.
However, he said if Luxon had a clear majority over Bridges in advance of the caucus meeting on Tuesday afternoon they could come to an arrangement rather than take it to the vote. He said it was important to find someone with near unanimous support to try to fix the rifts in the caucus.
"I think the leader can make a huge difference, there is no doubt about that, and if they can find someone that the great majority endorse it will make an enormous difference."