Nuts, crazy, and likely to backfire.

That's the warning to Labour as it pulls its Maori MPs from the list, and puts them in the fight for electorate seats only.

Leader Andrew Little said he's not worried about losing senior MPs because the party's taking a stand.

But AUT history professor Paul Moon told Mike Hosking it's unbelievable politics that blackmails voters.

"So Labour's saying if you don't give us your candidate vote, you'll lose these MPs and Labour won't have them in Parliament.

"Well the Maori electorate certainly will care about this and if anything it's likely to backfire on Labour and encourage them to support parties that don't blackmail them.

"Crazy politics, because what they're effectively doing is condemning the voters, almost blackmailing them, saying that if don't vote for us, you will lose these Maori MPs."

LISTEN ABOVE AS PAUL MOON SPEAKS WITH MIKE HOSKING