Andrew Little steps down as Labour leader

Labour leader Andrew Little has stood down as Labour leader - leaving the way clear for his deputy Jacinda Ardern to take up the role.

Little made the announcement after a brief meeting this morning where there was speculation he would face a challenge for the job.

It is just an hour after he said he would not resign and did not expect to be challenged for the job.

It follows two days of turmoil after a string of bad polls and Little's admission he had asked senior colleagues if he should step down.

Some in Labour were understood to have put together the alternative leadership team of Jacinda Ardern and Kelvin Davis to replace him if he decided to go - but other senior MPs said they did not expect that to be actioned unless Little went of his own volition.

Although there was speculation others might challenge for the role, many MPs were of the view that if there was to be a change Ardern was now the only option.

In advance of the development, MPs were mixed on the merits of a leadership change so close to the election. Stuart Nash said he believed Labour would be "doomed" if it changed leaders at this point, but others said it could help hold up Labour's vote from further collapse.

Little was elected leader in 2014 after Labour's election result of 25 per cent. Although he had little caucus support at that point, he had strong support from the unions affiliated to Labour and was credited with calming Labour's notoriously divided caucus.

He denied his trip to Auckland last night was for "crisis talks", saying he had flown up to attend an event in the Chinese community and the campaign launch of Labour candidate Naisi Chen with Raymond Huo.

Little told the Herald last night he did not intend to put up a confidence vote on his leadership, but admitted some MPs were concerned he had publicly stated that he raised the topic of stepping down.

Ardern is yet to comment today, but last night was still backing Little.

Little's future as Labour leader has been on the line following disastrous poll results and he himself raising the prospect of his future.

Little heads to a caucus meeting at 10.30am to face his colleagues, with Labour's party-vote support as low as 23 per cent in some polls.

Little pulled out of all media appointments this morning - minutes before he was due to appear on national television.

He pulled out of appearances on TV3, TVNZ and Radio New Zealand so he could focus on the caucus meeting.

Newstalk ZB political editor Barry Soper said the question of leadership remained firmly in Little's hands. "It's entirely over to Andrew Little, when he goes into caucus today, he's got to decide on that," he told ZB's Mike Hosking Breakfast.

Soper said if one of the Labour caucus put up their hand for the leadership it was likely others would follow. "It'll be all over the place, it'll be a dog's breakfast if they decide to change the leader."

But despite the party's consistently low polls Soper said there seemed to be no strong alternative to Little.

He said Ardern's lack of appetite for the job ruled her out, and housing spokesman Phil Twyford would be "reasonably effective" but not a strong option.

Napier MP Stuart Nash was another name touted around. "He's a centrist politician, much more centre than Andrew would in any way resemble. If he could get support, he would certainly put up his hand."

Meanwhile, Soper said Grant Robertson, considered to be one of the more popular members of the Labour Party, was unlikely to win over any more voters than Little.

Source: NZ Herald.