There are calls for the police to reopen their inquiry into National's youngest MP Todd Barclay, who has now admitted for the first time he recorded staff in his office during an employment dispute.
Embroiled in an embarrassing electorate staffing dispute, the National MP has thought again about whether he told Bill English about a secret recording he had of his staff bagging him.
In a police statement, Mr English said Mr Barclay told him he had the recording, something the MP had been denying. But he now accepts that was the case.
"I have read Mr English's statement to the police and accept it," Mr Barclay said. "The period in question was a very stressful one, given Mr English was my predecessor as the MP for Clutha-Southland, I no doubt spoke to him as the dispute escalated."
Newstalk ZB Political Editor Barry Soper said it has always been claimed the recording was on a dictaphone, but he now understands it was made after the surreptitious planting of CCTV cameras in the MP's Gore office.
"The police closed their case into Barclay after he refused to co-operate even though Bill English told them about the recording."
"Now it has emerged a private security firm is said to have put cameras into Barclay's Gore office at his request to observe his staff, one of whom was paid out with some of the money coming from John Key's Leader's fund," he said.
Labour leader Andrew Little said English has to show leadership and order Barclay to speak to the police which he's refused to do.
"Given there is an allegation against a police complaint, he has a moral duty in my view to co-operate with the police and failure to do so means it is for the Prime Minister to tell him he must do so."
Little said he has a duty to front up now that he's admitted a recording exists.
"If I was aware that a member of parliament in my party had a recording and was the subject of a police complaint about that recording, they would be told you must now go and subject yourself to an interview with the police."
Newsroom is also alleging Mr Barclay stacked the voting to get the National candidate selection for Clutha-Southland.
Mr Barclay faces an investigation from his own party, after the reports the vote stacking involved several members of his family becoming voting delegates.
Political commentator Bryce Edwards said the allegations could reflect badly on the National party's democratic processes in the lead up to September's election.
"The National Party have quite a good record of having democratic elections for their candidates. There's questions about whether those high standards have been lived up to."
Edwards said if the politician doesn't resign soon, it could continue to be a topic of discussion in September.
"In the long term, this probably doesn't have a big impact on the election if the story is killed off soon, and that's what National will be wanting, so if it drags on, I think it's going to be more embarrassing for National."
Take your Radio, Podcasts and Music with you
