Labour leader Phil Goff has rubbished suggestions his deputy Annette King may step down and that he recently asked his front bench whether he should do the same.
In an article published on election prediction website iPredict today, right wing commentator Matthew Hooton suggested Labour's candidate for the Maori electorate of Tamaki Makaurau, Shane Jones, could become deputy leader "should Annette King decide at the last minute not to spend another three years in Opposition''.
Mr Hooton suggested that would allow a fresh candidate to stand in her safe Rongotai seat and address the "fact'' that Labour "protects has-beens and never-weres while dooming some of its new talent to electoral defeat''.
But Mr Goff told reporters Mr Hooton, who was "in the back pocket of the National Party'' was "spreading rumours that have no truth at all''.
"There has never been any question of my deputy being other than Annette King or ever any question of her stepping down as deputy leader. It is a total invention... political spin out of the mouths of national party activists.''
