Peters stands by decision to force Brendan Horan out of party

Brendan Horan. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Independent MP Brendan Horan says he has no interest in comments by NZ First leader Winston Peters who today said he stood by his decision to force the MP from his party.

Mr Horan was expelled from New Zealand First in December after allegations arose last year he inappropriately used his mother's bankcards.

It has been reported today that Mr Horan will receive a $40,000 share of his late mother's estate after a lengthy legal battle amid accusations he inappropriately used Olwen Horan's bank cards.

Fairfax said it had learnt that a settlement had been reached after the executor of Olwen Horan's will, John Buckthought, had decided the estate should be settled before all the money was spent on legal bills.

Mr Horan would not comment on the will settlement and he said he had no interest in anything Mr Peters had to say.

"I don't really care what he thinks or says - he's single-handedly managing to destroy NZ First.''

He said last year he would have "taken a bullet for him, but now I would gladly step aside''.

"The latest poll [for NZ First] is 2 per cent - so why would I care what he said?''

Speaking today at the New Zealand First annual conference in Christchurch, Mr Peters said he knew the matter would end as it apparently had.

"When you threaten to eat up all the estate in a legal wrangle so there's nothing to be fighting over in the end, that's the likely outcome. I knew that was going to happen some time back,'' he said.

Asked whether he stood by his decision to kick Mr Horan out of the party, Mr Peters said "utterly''.

"His mother said he was taking money off her wrongly. She put it in a codicil, that's all the evidence I need.

"But there's lots of other evidence why I acted as well.''

Mr Horan has always denied any wrongdoing and remained confident his name would be cleared.