'Pathetic': Winston Peters comes out swinging against National Leader Simon Bridges

Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters has labelled National Leader Simon Bridges' response to accusations of corruption "pathetic".

Bridges fronted up to media this afternoon after former National MP Jami-Lee Ross levelled a medley of accusations at the Opposition leader this morning.

These included allegations of electoral fraud, with Ross accusing Bridges of "falsifying the name of a donor to hide [their] identity".

Bridges denied the claims and said Ross was "lying, leaking and lashing out".

Speaking to media on his way out of the House, Peters said Bridges' reply to Ross' accusations "wasn't a response – it was pathetic".

"Have you ever seen somebody who has no qualities of leadership – so much so that he needed half of his front bench around him to [demonstrate] to you that he's a leader?"

Bridges was flanked by National MPs Amy Adams, Mark Mitchell, Judith Collins and Deputy Leader Paula Bennett during his press conference.

"He has never led anything," Peters said, of Bridges.

"He has never run a private business of his own, he has never been in charge of a fund to the extent that he will understand something about capitalism."

Bridges studied law at Oxford and practised as a Crown prosecutor before being elected an MP.

Before heading into the House this afternoon, Peters was asked about Ross' statement and Bridges' response.

Instead of providing an oral answer, the NZ First Leader instead opted to play the theme song from Kelly's Heroes, Burning Bridges, on his phone.

After he was done, he left for the House without answering questions.

After Question Time, he fronted up to media.

He said the reason he played the song was because he didn't rate Bridges' leadership.

Peters then proceed to play the song again – speaking over the top of the tune as he answered further questions.