A political commentator believes National leader Simon Bridges "must take responsibility" for the party's low poll results, with a leadership coup set to take place on Friday.
Matthew Hooton's comments come after two polls in a week showed The National Party dwindling. Monday's Newshub-Reid Research Poll revealed National had fallen to 30.6 percent, and Thursday's Colmar-Brunton Poll by TVNZ saw the party record its lowest numbers in over 15 years at 29 percent.
Both polls show Labour tracking well above that with 59.5 and 59 percent respectively.
Hooton said Bridges had made some "significant miscalculations" during the COVID-19 crisis and must take responsibility.
"This is the worst crisis since at the end of the Second World War and National just isn't sounding like it appreciates that problem," he told Magic Talk's John Banks on Thursday evening.
Bridges also recorded very low results as preferred Prime Minister in both polls. Hooton said there had been too many polls that have been "absolutely disastrous" for Bridges and National.
"Obviously there will be a new leader tomorrow [Friday] of The National Party, there will be a new approach and they're going to have to really go for it," Hooton said.
Bridges confirmed on Wednesday that two MPs are challenging National's leadership. While he wouldn't say who they were at the time, they were later revealed to be Bay of Plenty MP Todd Muller and Auckland Central MP Nikki Kaye.
The National Party is holding an emergency meeting on Friday following the leadership challenge. Bridges told The AM Show on Wednesday he was "very confident" he would win.
