Gerry Brownlee has spoken to media to outline the National Party's concerns over the way Speaker of the House Trevor Mallard is running question time, accusing him of not being neutral and pointing out they are not happy with the way he handled an alleged sexist remark made against Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern by a National MP.
Mr Brownlee also made public a letter that he sent to the Speaker on behalf of the National Party outlining some of their issues with him.
"I write to express the National Party's serious concerns about your chairing of the House and your role in negative stories about the National Party in the media," the letter opens with.
"On 9 May you ruled during Question Time that a National Party MP had made a "sexist" remark about the Prime Mininster. You did not confirm what was said but added that you would review it in a tape.
"Then on 15 May Newshub reported that a National MP had called the PM a "stupid little girl". The source behind this claim was anonymous."
Mr Brownlee continued to say in the letter that today the Speaker confirmed it was him that had heard those specific words and while Mr Mallard couldn't confirm it upon reviewing the tape he stood by the fact the remark was made.
The letter goes on to say the Speaker should be neutral in the House and the National Party feels he is not.
Mr Brownlee has given the Speaker a deadline of 2pm tomorrow to respond to his party's concerns. A response just in from the Speaker says he won't be responding to the media about Mr Brownlee's letter.
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