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Rodney Hide (L) and Don Brash - Source: Getty Images/ONE News -
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Rodney Hide's position as Act leader appears to be weakening after a day of lobbying by challenger Don Brash.
A highly placed source told ONE News tonight that Act MP Hilary Calvert is ready to move to the Brash camp.
It is believed that Act MPs Roger Douglas and Heather Roy are supporting Brash, while not one Act MP came out today and told ONE News they supported Hide.
Former National leader Brash said this afternoon he did not know if he had the numbers to wrestle the Act leadership from Hide.
He said he had spoken to three Act MPs today to discuss his leadership challenge.
Brash said the MPs - who he did not name - asked questions but that "they are not telling me how they're going to vote".
He went on to strengthen his criticism of Hide's leadership saying that he is a "competent individual but his brand is severely damaged".
Brash said he hoped Act's MPs would hold off on any decision about his leadership challenge until the results of market research he had commissioned had been received.
It was expected the research, which will look into how the Act party would fare under Brash's leadership as opposed to Hide's, would be completed next week.
"I think some of them are saying 'yes or no' but want to see the proof," Brash said.
There were rumours earlier today that Hide was to stand down as Act leader, as the party's MPs turned against him.
However, Hide told ONE News he had no intention of resigning as leader of the Act party.
He said he had the support of caucus, would not be resigning and rejected talks of any special meeting to resolve the leadership issue.
The Auckland meeting was revealed by Brash supporters who said caucus members were holding emergency talks.
But Hide said that deputy leader John Boscawen was supporting him in any leadership coup mounted by Brash. Boscawen is considered crucial in any vote on the leadership.
Boscawen is refusing to personally comment on who he would support, although a spokesman has indicated he would vote for Hide.
Hide said rumours about the coup had probably been spread by people in Brash's camp to "whip up" the story.
Brash revealed an interest in taking over the party in an interview on TV ONE's Q + A on Sunday , but Hide said he would not be "putting his head in the sand" over any challenge.
If the caucus does approve Brash's leadership the matter will then go on to the board for the final decision.
Hide said he had met with Brash many times and encouraged him to join the party. He had told Brash he considered him "an Act person", but that his suggested candidate for Epsom, John Banks, was "not an Act person".
However, Brash was still a member of the National Party, which left Act in "a difficult position" over his leadership bid.
Yesterday Hide posted a
Facebook statement that said: "I
discussed Don's proposal with the President, Vice President and
Deputy Leader. We were agreed that the first step for Don was to
join the party.
"I was as surprised as anyone with Don announcing over Easter he
wanted to publicly contest the leadership of the Act Party while
still a member of the National Party.
"It seems to me that Don has put Act into a difficult position
because he can't become leader unless he is a member. The
leadership of Act is determined by the caucus and ratified by the
Board," Hide said.
Some commentators have suggested Brash's bid for the leadership has
already faltered, but Brash this morning re-iterated the issue was
still an open question.
- with Fairfax
