It's official: Little to run for city seat

The man tipped as a future prime minister will stand for Parliament in New Plymouth next year.

Labour president Andrew Little announced his intention yesterday to contest the city's electorate seat at the next elections.

Rumours about Mr Little's candidacy have been rife since March, but the EPMU national secretary said he had needed time to make up his mind and to ensure he could run a strong campaign.

"I feel there's definitely enough local support there now," Mr Little told the Taranaki Daily News.

"I believe I have something to offer, that I have a high level of energy and enthusiasm to bring to New Plymouth and wider Taranaki."

Mr Little is touted by many political observers as a contender for the role of Labour party leader and prime minister, but he would not be drawn further on his ambitions yesterday.

"We've got a pretty good leader at the moment and it's not an issue I can even think about," he said.

"There's only one commitment you can make and if I'm privileged enough to be elected I'll do the best for the province, and that's as far as I'm thinking."

He did admit that standing for a Wellington seat would have been an "easier" choice, but New Plymouth was where the opportunity had arisen.

Having strong candidates in the regional seats was also part of the Labour party's plan to strengthen its presence in the provinces, he said.

The New Plymouth seat is widely considered a swing seat by which the mood of the nation can be gauged.

In 2008, after 15 years of Labour MP Harry Duynhoven, the seat was lost by just 105 votes to National Party newcomer Jonathan Young.

Though Mr Little hasn't lived in Taranaki since 1982, he was born and raised in New Plymouth and said he still had strong links to the region. "It's an area that needs good representation – New Plymouth is the main city in the heart of huge energy projects, and the huge dairy, sheep and beef industries," he said.

"It needs good advocacy, especially the exploration industry, where there's wealth generated in New Zealand that should be for New Zealanders and the region.

"The MP should be advocating for that and I don't think we're seeing that."

Jonathan Young said yesterday he considered Mr Little a worthy contender but was not worried by his plans to stand.

"I'm confident I'm doing a good job and confident we've got a good structure in place," Mr Young said.

Mr Little said he would stand down from his Labour Party president's role before the election, and from his EPMU role if elected.

- © Fairfax NZ News