Mutterings over power of Brash's sidekicks

National's caucus has 24 new faces - 22 more MPs than after the last election. Picture / Mark Mitchell

While National Don Brash continues to give mixed messages about his political future, his leadership is assured for now - but moves are afoot to reduce the influence of two of his most senior MPs.

The Herald understands there has been concern within the caucus for some time about the extent of the power wielded by Murray McCully, whose official title is parliamentary assistant to the leader.

Decision-making has been overly exclusive - restricted to a small group headed by Mr McCully and Dr Brash - and there have not been enough formal arrangements for consultation and discussions, critics say.

They say the feeling was widespread among MPs in last term's caucus.

Some within that caucus were also concerned about National's failure to successfully launch enough significant attacks on the Government in the House.

As shadow leader of the House, deputy leader Gerry Brownlee, in charge of questions, has failed to lead the charge, some MPs believe.

The concerns were put aside to retain the focus on the lead-up to the election campaign - but the Herald understands there is now likely to be a push from several senior MPs for changes.

The large influx of new MPs and the prospect of another three years in Opposition heightens the need for a more transparent and more inclusive internal structure, as well as a more finely honed attack strategy, they will argue.

One name floated as a potential new shadow leader of the House was Simon Power, who told the caucus yesterday he no longer wanted the chief whip's job.

That job also carries significant power in such a large caucus, and is one over which there will also be lobbying.

Dr Brash and Mr Brownlee were confirmed as leader and deputy leader yesterday.

The whip's job will be determined after the special votes are counted - which National still maintains could change the election-night result and enable it to form a Government.

Despite the hiatus, in which Dr Brash must continue to present an image of a Prime Minister in waiting, he continued to give confusing messages about his future yesterday.

He said he wanted to stay on, but when asked whether he wanted to stay on as leader he said: "No, listen, we're not crossing bridges at this point, but my intention is to stay on."

Later asked if he would relish the job, he said he would.

It remains unclear whether Dr Brash simply does not want to appear arrogant to colleagues after provisionally losing the election - or if he is leaving himself room to retire as leader or from Parliament if the special votes don't change the election result.

Efforts to gain greater clarity from his office yesterday were unsuccessful.

Colleagues are mindful of how close Dr Brash took the party to victory and are understood to have been clear with him they want him to continue in the job.

But if a leadership coup were mounted, it would be unlikely to happen immediately.

National's new MPs meanwhile squeezed into its caucus room for their first parliamentary meeting yesterday, laughing as Mr Power said the rule was they had to stand to say something - but he'd rather they didn't.

It was the standard "just breathe through your nose for a bit" message, all the more important when there's a big bunch of new entrants who might be a little too eager to make an immediate impression.

Despite the likely election loss, the party has been buoyed by the huge increase in the size of the caucus - almost half the size of Labour's before the election.

With two MPs retiring, National has 22 extra MPs in Parliament this term - 24 new ones - and is the party with by far the largest number of new faces, although three of the newly elected are former MPs.

Labour in contrast has only four new MPs.

Tables were removed from the National caucus room to make way for the newcomers and attempts to find enough matching chairs proved impossible.

There was a brief interlude for a photo on the steps of Parliament.

Most had dressed in black, which created an impression of uniformity, but there was a notably larger number of women - including a number of blondes from the South Island - and several more brown faces.