With a new poll suggesting that support for Simon Bridges as the preferred PM has dropped to seven per cent, the Opposition leader was asked bluntly on Breakfast today: “How low can you go and remain as the National Party leader?”
The 1 NEWS Colmar Brunton poll, released last night, shows Mr Bridges falling to his lowest rating since taking charge of the party .
“I don’t take the polls in relation to me lightly,” Mr Bridges told Breakfast host Jack Tame. “I’ll work at that.”
But he also said the polls showed National’s resilience in what has been his party’s “toughest week”. The party’s support dropped two percentage points , to 43 per cent, allowing for Labour to take the lead for the first time since February.
The latest 1 NEWS Colmar Brunton poll comes after a dramatic week in politics.
“We were in the eye of the storm when that poll was done,” Mr Bridges said. “And that poll shows National’s underlying strength – very strong under pressure and under my leadership.”
Last week saw Mr Bridges accuse National colleague Jami-Lee Ross of leaking his expenses to the media, followed by a vote to expel the Botany MP from the party caucus. Mr Ross shot back with explosive allegations that the party leader had committed campaign fraud, and took those allegations to police.
By the end of the week, Deputy Leader Paula Bennett’s insinuations that Mr Ross had cheated on his wife were backed up by the assertions of two women who asked to remain anonymous. Over the weekend, Mr Ross was admitted to mental health care.
Stuff reports he has since been released and is now with a friend and support person.
“This was an unprecedented week. There’s no sugar-coating that,” Mr Bridges said today.
And the poll was conducted as the events unfolded.
“But the reality is my MPs know and I think the viewers at home know that what really matters is the strong united team behind a leader, and the party vote,” he added. “That’s the poll that matters, and on that we’re the strongest… political party in New Zealand.”
You can watch Mr Bridges' entire Breakfast interview here:
But the Opposition leader refused to tell Breakfast if he knew beforehand that his deputy Paula Bennett planned to publicise the alleged affairs.
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