NZ First leader Winston Peters says National's Simon Bridges has "a lot to learn about politics". This follows the National Party leader today ruling out working with NZ First after September's election.
"I am ruling out NZ First as a partner for National after the next election. I don't believe we can work with NZ First and have a constructive, trusting, relationship," Bridges said at National’s first meeting of MPs and candidates this year.
"When National after the last election was negotiating in good faith with NZ First, its leader was suing key National MPs and staff. I can't trust NZ First and New Zealanders can't either," he said.
#LIVE watch Simon Bridges make an important announcement on coalition partners.
Posted by Simon Bridges on Saturday, February 1, 2020
However, Peters has hit back saying, "Simon Bridges has just made it quite clear that he still has a lot to learn about politics."
Simon Bridges has just made it quite clear that he still has a lot to learn about politics.
— Winston Peters (@winstonpeters) February 2, 2020
Peters said he was confident someone in the National caucus would call him post-election, even if Bridges did not.
"Having been in politics a long time and a member of the National Party for over 25 years, the one thing NZ First is confident about is that if voters deliver that possibility, and if Mr Bridges doesn't pick up the phone, someone else within his caucus will do it for him," Peters said.