UPDATED 7.24PM Hone Harawira will stand in Te Tai Tokerau at this year's election, in a newly announced deal between The Mana Movement and Maori Party.
LISTEN ABOVE: Maori Party co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell spoke to Larry Williams
SEE ALSO: Mana-Maori deal could hurt Peters
Mr Harawira will be standing against Labour MP Kelvin Davis.
The Maori Party will not stand a candidate Te Tai Tokerau, and will not see competition from Mana in any of the other six Maori electorates.
President Toku Morgan said taking these seats back is an important move for Maoridom.
"Away from the Labour Party, who's leader does not under our psyche, our values - nor do they understand or appreciate Maori across this country."
Both parties are still allowed to campaign for the Party vote and even criticise the others' policies, as long as they don't attack each others' candidates.
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Maori Party co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell told Larry Williams both parties believe they could have had more seats if their votes hadn't been split.
"So we're looking to address it on the back of calls from our people over the last two years to come together in the best interests of our people and representation in Parliament."
Mr Morgan said the simple analysis, is that they should have won two more seats at the last election, but they weren't smart about it.
"The numbers are quite compelling. To combine votes of both Mana and Maori meant that we should have won those seats. We will win those seats and more, there is no doubt about that."
The deal will remain in place until election day on September 23rd.
Labour leader Andrew Little has heaped scorn on the election deal struck. Little has tied the deal to the National Party, saying Mr Harawira is signing up to the Maori Party's support of the Government.
"It's a long term relationship with National, it's let a lot of Maori down.
"Hone Harawira is signing up to that, he's signing up to National and National's going to have to go to the general election saying they've got Mana as a coalition partner."
Mr Little said it's laughable to suggest Harawira might beat Mr Davis at the election later this year.
"He has nothing to fear from Hone Harawira or any mish mash of coalition partners that the National Party wants to sign up in their pre-election desperation."
Mr Davis is arguing a vote for Mana Maori is a vote for the National Party.
Harawira said that's unfortunate, indicating his aim is to get his party back into Parliament and go forward as Mana Maori Motuhake.
"That cannot be achieved by a Maori candidate standing in a Pakeha party because Pakeha principles and Pakeha priorities always take precedence."
Mr Davis said the deal smacks of desperation.
He said there are many reasons to stand for parliament, but doing it to restore your bruised pride isn't one of them.
"Hone is standing for the wrong reasons. He's really just realised that Te Tai Tokerau has moved on and Maoridom has moved on since he's lost the seat."
Mr Davis said Harawira should really be getting behind Labour to change the Government.
The Te Tai Tokerau MP said it's likely Harawira will tear the Maori Party apart, just like he did in 2014 - and halt the progress being made in Te Tai Tokerau.
He said there's a lot that's been achieved and we don't want to go back to the angry old days.
Prime Minister Bill English said National will still work with them if that includes Mr Harawira.
Mr English said the Maori Party has been a sometimes challenging, but constructive coalition partner for the past nine years.
"Seemed to me to be looking for ways to get more electoral reward for that but look, it's up to them whatever deals they do. We have worked with them well and would like to continue working with them in the future."
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