Brash 'cautiously optimistic' about taking Act leadership

Don Brash is "cautiously optimistic" he has the numbers to oust Act party leader Rodney Hide if there is a caucus vote.

While media are reporting he has turned the vote of Dunedin-based MP Hilary Calvert, the 70-year-old former National Party leader says he "doesn;t know that for sure."

He needs at least three of Act's five MPs to back him and has two of them -- Sir Roger Douglas and Heather Roy.

Deputy leader John Boscawen supports Mr Hide and, until yesterday, Ms Calvert was committed as well.

Dr Brash yesterday met Sir Roger and Ms Calvert in Auckland to explain his reasons for wanting to replace Mr Hide, whom Dr Brash says will lead Act to certain defeat in the November 26 general election.

Asked last night by TV3's John Campbell whether he had the numbers, Dr Brash replied: "I simply don't know. I've spoken to all members of the Act caucus, they've listened intently, they've asked me questions.

"If they're willing to vote for me now, that's great. If they'd prefer to wait, perhaps they should wait for the market research I've commissioned which will be available next week."

The poll asked National and Act voters whether they were likely to vote for Act under Mr Hide, whether they were likely to vote for Act if it was led by Dr Brash, and whether they would vote for a new political party if Dr Brash was its leader.

Mr Hide says he doesn't know how the caucus will vote, noting Dr Brash isn't even a member of Act. Dr Brash says he will join immediately, if confident he can win the leadership.

Mr Hide yesterday posted an open letter on Facebook, saying he had been surprised by Dr Brash's weekend announcement that he was going to seek the leadership of ACT.

He said he had previously invited Dr Brash to join the party, and Dr Brash had turned him down.

"We reviewed various options on how we could work together in a collaborative way to build a strong party for the future," Mr Hide said.

"Don then wrote me a letter setting out his decision to turn down the opportunity. The letter alarmed me because I thought it was a letter designed to be leaked, as it was especially one-sided."

Prime Minister John Key is refusing to speculate on the situation, although he said yesterday he could see no reason why Mr Hide would not be able to keep his ministerial roles if Dr Brash took over as leader.