National's new leader John Key is to announce the party's new
line up in the next few days but just what to do with the old
leader is a tricky question.
New emails have cast doubt on Don Brash's claims he knew nothing
of an election campaign by the Exclusive Brethren.
Pressing the flesh in New Plymouth on Wednesday, Brash continued to
play the game of politics and continued to deny allegations he had
intimate knowledge that the Exclusive Brethren was offering to help
National during the election campaign.
The questions surrounding whether he has been dishonest have arisen because of the line Brash has trotted out ever since National's ties with the religious sect broke.
Nicky Hager's book The Hollow Men reveals the Exclusive Brethren emailed Brash saying it planned to spend $1 million on an advertising campaign to help win the party votes.
Brash claims he never opened the email, but new emails cast doubt on that claim.
In May 2005 Brash's advisor Bryan Sinclair told him a message had been received from the Brethren. "I usually avoid tangling you up with this but this is worth reading as it looks like dollars are involved here," Sinclair said.
Brash wrote back to thank him and said: "Yes our friends from the Brethren bailed me up at breakfast this morning. I have forwarded this for a reaction from Steven."
But Brash says he cannot remember the exchange.
"Do I remember that email? No."
He still maintains he had no idea of the Exclusive Brethren campaign.
John Key is backing his former leader.
"I believe him. I have no reason to doubt him. He's a
man of great integrity."
But Brash's integrity is exactly what has been called into question by these latest developments, and for a party that is trying to move forward, it may decide it is best to do so without Brash.
