Glenn admission a political bombshell - who is the old goat in the story...

Glenn admission a "political bombshell" - who is the old goat in the story...

The Privileges Committee must decide whether to believe Winston Peters or Owen Glenn over a $100,000 donation

Parliament's Privileges Committee now has to decide who it wants to believe.

In a letter to the committee (click here to read letter as PDF), businessman Owen Glenn says Winston Peters sought help from him for the legal fund during a conversation when the pair met in Sydney. He says the New Zealand First leader thanked him for the $100,000 payment when they met again at the Karaka yearling sales in early 2006.

Mr Peters says he has no recollection of asking Mr Owen for money. Privileges Committee chairman Simon Power says the contradiction will be something for MPs to consider.

"The nature of that evidence appears inconsistent with the evidence given by Mr Peters and Mr Henry (Winston Peters' lawyer)."

Mr Power says the committee meets again next Thursday.

Newstalk ZB Political Editor Barry Soper says the letter from Mr Glenn is a "political bombshell" and could prove costly for Prime Minister Helen Clark.

"If she does anything to Winston Peters in terms of firing him from Cabinet, which in my view she's duty-bound to do, she can probably kiss goodbye to the Emissions Trading Scheme."

New Zealand First MP Dail Jones has accused Owen Glenn of contradicting himself. He says Mr Glenn's credibility is at stake, and Mr Peters has told the truth.

However the MP who laid the privileges complaints against Mr Peters says today's revelations spell the end of the New Zealand First leader's career. ACT leader Rodney Hide says it is now clear that Mr Peters misled Parliament and the Prime Minister has to make an ethical stand - and stand Mr Peters down. He says she is clutching to power as she tries to get the Emissions Trading Scheme through.

New Zealand First was due to reveal whether it will support the scheme sometime today.

An interesting old time in the Parliament these days. Helen will make her decision when it suits her and her Government. Remember that an election is impending.

Is the National Party a clean green alternative? Yeah right! If the Government is to be damned, then the whole caboodle is damned!



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