Former Labour Minister Stuart Nash makes his pitch to become NZ First MP

By Adam Pearse

Deputy Political Editor·NZ Herald·

6 Sep, 2025 02:19 AM2 mins to read

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Former Labour MP Stuart Nash speaks at the NZ First conference. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Former Labour Cabinet minister Stuart Nash has made his pitch to become a New Zealand First MP as Winston Peters says Nash would be a “seamless” addition to the party.

Nash this afternoon gave a loving speech for NZ First at its party conference in Palmerston North, in which
he said NZ First was the only party focused on core issues impacting New Zealanders.

Although he was reluctant to criticise Labour in his speech, Nash later told media Labour had abandoned him, agreed the party had gone “woke” and claimed party leader Chris Hipkins, who fired Nash from Cabinet, hadn’t had his back.

Asked whether he would stand for NZ First in 2026, Nash said he was “not so arrogant to think that I can just jump to New Zealand First … there is a process”.

Peters, who conducted a media stand-up with Nash after his speech, wouldn’t commit to Nash becoming one of his MPs but said he would be a “seamless” addition.