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Labour is blaming an administrative hiccup for MP Russell Fairbrother's failure yesterday to stand to ask his allocated question in Parliament - but National sees it as a sign of anger that Michael Cullen has nominated another person to run in the same seat Mr Fairbrother wants to reclaim.
Mr Fairbrother, a list MP, was down to ask a "patsy" question, but when the time came, fellow Labour MP Darien Fenton stood to ask it instead.
Under Parliament's rules if a person is down to ask a question and is in the House at the time, he or she must ask the question.
After National objected, Mr Fairbrother stood, announced he hadn't had a chance to rehearse, read the question to some applause and handed the paper back to Ms Fenton for the follow-ups.
Labour whip Tim Barnett later said the confusion was a simple muck-up - Mr Fairbrother was initially allocated the question but it was later given to Ms Fenton in case Mr Fairbrother did not make it back in time from a select committee hearing in Christchurch.
However, National MPs picked up on the mishap as a sign Mr Fairbrother is disgruntled because Dr Cullen, Labour's deputy leader, is one of those nominating political hopeful Stuart Nash to run for the Napier electorate next year - putting Mr Nash head to head with Mr Fairbrother.
It prompted comment in general debate from National MPs Simon Power and Judith Collins, who said Mr Fairbrother was the victim of "unheard-of backstabbing by your deputy leader".
Mr Fairbrother - who lost the Napier seat to National's Chris Tremain in 2005 - said he was not upset by Dr Cullen's actions.
"I don't have the pip at all. I've been a criminal lawyer for years, and I've taken bigger punches than that."
Dr Cullen has since said it was not a sign of endorsement of one candidate over another, but was encouragement of a wide pool of choice for electorates to choose from.
Mr Fairbrother said Dr Cullen had also offered to co-sign Mr Fairbrother's nomination, but Mr Fairbrother had refused, preferring to be nominated by more "grassroots" members from the local electorate.
"That's probably why I'm still a backbencher."
Mr Fairbrother filed his nomination several weeks ago, despite months of speculation that he would be one of those standing down as part of Labour's rejuvenation drive.