Green MP keeps naked pre-election promise

Green MP Keith Locke walks semi-naked down Broadway in Newmarket. Picture / Martin Sykes

Sunday afternoon shoppers have been dazzled by the sight of an MP walking semi-naked through Newmarket to keep a pre-election promise.

The Greens' Keith Locke this afternoon fulfilled his promise to walk naked along Broadway if Act's Rodney Hide won the Epsom seat in last weekend's election.

Clad in socks, shoes a Calvin Klein g-string and body-painted to look like he was wearing a green suit, Mr Locke strutted his stuff down Broadway.

The 61-year-old's nude dash provoked gasps and giggles from passing pedestrians, and beeps from passing cars.

At the end of his walk Mr Locke thanked his supporters, but observed the spring weather in Auckland was a little chilly.

Last week Mr Locke said he was really regretting his promise.

"I'll do it. I have to," Mr Locke said resignedly. "I was so confident, but I've turned out to be wrong and I've got to do it."

Mr Hide last week said he had nothing to do with the stunt.

"It wasn't my idea. I knew that he would have to do it. I was on track to win the seat, and I couldn't believe that he could be so foolish."

The Greens failed to read the signals coming from voters, he said.

"One of the things that amazed me was just how out of touch they were with people in Epsom."

Mr Hide prevented Act being wiped out of Parliament when he romped home in Epsom, prising the seat off National incumbent Richard Worth.

- NEWSTALK ZB and NZ HERALD