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The decision by Unite Future MP Gordon Copeland to quit the party has renewed talk of legislation to prevent MPs changing parties during a parliamentary term.
Copeland will join forces with his former United Future colleague Larry Baldock to form a new political party.
He says Future New Zealand will be formed to contest the 2008 election. Copeland says it will be a centre party which will develop robust policies across all portfolios with an emphasis on both social justice and building strong families based on Christian values.
He is pledging not to destabilise the government just yet and says he will give his proxy vote to Labour while he is an independent MP.
An updated party hopping law remains well down on the government's legislative agenda, but it is understood that position may now be reconsidered.
But National party leader Jonh Key says it is unlikely to be something his party would support. He says National is in good shape and will leave it to those supporting the government to disintegrate.
Key says Copeland's resignation undermines the facade of stable government that Helen Clark has tried to project. He says any significant policies will require even more horse trading with minor parties and Labour will find it even more difficult to implement a coherent agenda.
Key says the public will want to know what concessions Clark will be prepared to give the minor parties.
Meanwhile, United Future MP Judy Turner maintains she is not going anywhere following the defection of her colleague.
The National Party is claiming she will be next to leave United Future, leaving leader Peter Dunne in a party of one.
But Turner says she has no intention of leaving the party.
Dunne says Wednesday's news came as a complete surprise to him. But he says the party is moving on and will recover from Copeland's departure.
