The National MP for the West Auckland seat of Waitakere, Brian Neeson, is resigning from the party to stand as an independent at the election.
Neeson missed out on re-selection as National's candidate for the seat, which has been redrawn with new boundaries and renamed Helensville.
Neeson will stand against National's new candidate, John Key.
He says he has thought long and hard about the move after 15 years with National, 12 of them as an MP.
Neeson says it will be an uphill struggle for parties of the centre-right at this election.
But he says he has had huge support from his electorate since missing out on the nomination, with many people asking him to stand again and pledging their vote.
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