Live politics 21.04

- Reporting by Jenna Lynch

Christopher Luxon, in his press conference after the leadership vote, dismissed the concerns journalists had been hearing from his MPs as media “speculation and rumour”, calling the situation a “media soap opera”.

The Prime Minister refused to take any questions from journalists following his prepared statement - including to confirm or deny whether he won the confidence vote he triggered with unanimous support or not.

Luxon referenced the importance of a free press before launching a broadside at journalists for their reporting.

“You give citizens the chance know the truth about their countries and their Governments and hold leaders like me accountable and I welcome that,” he said.

“But if the media want to keep focusing on speculation and rumour I am not going to engage.

“Kiwis expect the media to ask us the tough questions about our policies, to hold us to account for our pledges to New Zealanders and to interrogate us about the things that matter to them.

“They are not interested in this media soap opera. Everyday Kiwis will not be losing sleep over political side shows here in Wellington.”

Reporting on this saga has been focussed on a story sourced to a number of National MPs and staffers. Multiple outlets verified that National's chief whip had tried to talk to the Prime Minister about his waning support, but had been ignored.

That story broke on Friday, and only today the chief whip, Stuart Smith, issued a statement via the Prime Minister’s Office saying he had not sought a meeting with Luxon.

At no point before this did Luxon, his office, nor Smith come forward to say “this is not true”.

Luxon did not take any questions after he made his statement today.