More heat over John Banks scandal

More political heat is expected in Parliament this week over the John Banks scandal.

Opposition parties are after his head saying the release of police files into his 2010 mayoral campaign donations show he misled the public and the Prime Minister when he said he didn't remember donations he received from Kim Dotcom and SkyCity.

Green Party co-leader Russel Norman says the Prime Minister's being wilfully blind.

"The Prime Minister's got his head in the sand about John Banks. He doesn't want to know because his votes in parliament depend on it."

John Key's sidestepped directly answering questions as to whether Mr Banks has lied to him and says he accepts Mr Banks's word.

Labour leader David Shearer says turning a blind eye isn't leadership and John Key is being negligent in refusing to look at the report.

"Now I would have thought that was an immediate sacking offence and yet Mr Key is holding onto Mr Banks, refusing to look at the evidence. Because if he read the evidence, he would be put into a position where he had no other option but to get rid of him."

Mr Banks provides National with a crucial vote, allowing it to govern.

Mr Key says that has nothing to do with his refusal to sack him from Cabinet.

"When you're Prime Minister all you can really do is say our minister enjoys my confidence if I can rely on their word and trust their word, if they give me their word I accept if it's proven otherwise well fair enough but because one person says one thing and one person says another - that's life sometimes."

Photo: John Banks (Getty Images)