31 Jul 2010

Little grassroots support for Carter, says Goff

6:29 am on 31 July 2010

Labour Party leader Phil Goff says he is detecting little support from grassroots members of suspended MP Chris Carter's Te Atatu electorate.

Mr Goff has said that Mr Carter should vacate his electorate seat, as without the backing of the party he no longer has a mandate.

Mr Carter was suspended from caucus for circulating an anonymous letter detailing discontent with Mr Goff and predicting a leadership challenge.

He says he will stay as on as an independent MP until the next election, but will give his vote to Labour.

Mr Goff says the the only message he is hearing is that Mr Carter has behaved disgracefully.

Senior party MP's have labelled Mr Carter's actions as irrational but the MP says he's only repeating what he is hearing on the streets of Auckland and from his caucus colleagues.

Mr Carter says he hopes he has started some momentum and that there will eventually be a leadership challenge.