Stanford denies role in Penk's leadership challenge, backs Luxon '100%'

Author: Julia Gabel,
Publish Date: Sun, 16 Aug 2026, 3:33pm

Vote 2026

Erica Stanford has conceded she may have misjudged the airport encounter with media that fuelled questions about her loyalty to Christopher Luxon.

As MPs scrambled back to the capital last week for an urgent caucus meeting amid growing speculation over Luxon’s leadership, Stanford walked past reporters at Wellington Airport on Tuesday without saying whether she backed him.

Luxon survived a confidence vote called by Chris Penk at the meeting on Wednesday. It has been widely speculated that Penk’s bid was part of a campaign for another candidate, potentially Stanford. She has “categorically” denied being involved in a leadership bid against Luxon.

Asked why she did not express confidence in Luxon, Stanford today said she decided not to comment to avoid her comments being taken out of context by media.

“We were in a situation where there was a frenzied media mob ... It was really stressful - and I did make the decision – given that I have backed the Prime Minister one million times – not to say anything,” she said.

“In retrospect, should I have stopped? Maybe – but here we are.”

Stanford, who held a press conference at Wellington Airport, said the media had printed the “opposite” to what she had said.

“It was nothing to do with not supporting the Prime Minister, it was just not answering your questions because I’d answered them over and over again all week,” she said.

“No matter what I say, you guys keep printing the opposite, and so I made the choice to say nothing,” she said.

Speaking to reporters at Wellington Airport this afternoon, Stanford said she supported the Prime Minister “100%”.

“I wasn’t involved. I didn’t ask anybody to challenge him for leadership, I support the Prime Minister 100%. I’ve told you guys and everyone a million times that I support him,” Stanford said.

Asked directly about claims from party sources that Penk was working on Stanford’s behalf, the minister said she was “not going to address rumours and speculation”.

“I didn’t ask anybody to act on my behalf. I didn’t ask anybody to challenge for the leadership. I didn’t challenge for the leadership because I’ve always supported the Prime Minister 100%.”

She ruled herself out of standing as leader in a future contest if National were to lose the election, saying she wants to focus on being Minister of Education.

“I am not interested in being the Prime Minister,” she said.

Stanford on Friday dodged media at Business Canterbury’s South Island Election Conference, which she attended alongside the Prime Minister and another rumoured leadership candidate, Chris Bishop.

Both Stanford and Bishop have pledged loyalty to Luxon and have denied plotting a coup.

Earlier today, minister Paul Goldsmith, who picked up many of Penk’s portfolios, said he was considering running in Penk’s seat, Kaipara ki Mahurangi.

Goldsmith was speaking to Jack Tame on TVNZ’s Q&A. The minister, who now holds 11 portfolios, said the electorate north of Auckland was a “beautiful seat”.

“A couple of people have suggested it to me and I’m thinking about it,” he said.

Goldsmith is currently set to run in the Epsom electorate, which he has contested each election since 2011. The potential strategic switch comes as current polling suggests the National Party may only bring in a very limited number of list MPs.

Julia Gabel is a Wellington-based political reporter. She joined the Herald in 2020 and has most recently focused on data journalism.