Brash strips rogue MP of portfolios

Brian Connell

National's rebellious MP Brian Connell has been stripped of his portfolios and his caucus ranking.

Party leader Don Brash said last night: "He no longer has my confidence or that of the president. The party board will, at a future meeting, determine if any further action is warranted."

The outspoken Rakaia MP had been warned by party chiefs after complaining about the portfolios he was given and his 27th place in the 48-member caucus.

That effectively put him at the bottom, because all those below him are new MPs and have no ranking.

But it was his comments in an Ashburton newspaper that brought the party's wrath down on him. Dr Brash said: "Clearly Mr Connell, who has said that his National Party membership is irrelevant when he conducts his duties and forms his views, is unable to continue to represent National Party policy."

He described Mr Connell's comments as "destructive and ill-disciplined" and said the MP was no longer National's spokesman on forestry, commerce, consumer affairs and statistics.

Earlier yesterday Mr Connell appeared to think the problem had been smoothed over.

He told NZPA his talk with party president Judy Kirk had been "reasonably constructive" and he did not want to discuss it.

"I think we have agreed now that I have had a few words and it is time to move on."

There was never any question of his commitment to the party.

He retained the Rakaia seat in last month's election with a majority of more than 10,000, and considered he should have been given more important portfolios.

Mr Connell was in trouble before the election, when he said Dr Brash was "stupid" to demote Katherine Rich, but the party leadership was lenient.

- NZPA