# Labour campaign rocked as candidate quits days out from voting

> Labour candidate Kerrin Leoni resigns after footage shows her campaigning with Mongrel Mob members, days before New Zealand voting.
- Title: Labour campaign rocked as candidate quits days out from voting
- Summary: Labour candidate Kerrin Leoni resigns after footage shows her campaigning with Mongrel Mob members, days before New Zealand voting. Labour candidate Kerrin…
- Keywords: kerrin leoni, labour, mongrel mob, tāmaki makaurau, chris hipkins, te pāti māori, greens, national, act party, new zealand first, election 2026, whānau
- Source: NZ Herald — https://nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/labour-campaign-rocked-as-candidate-quits-days-out-from-voting/PINFP43ZO5F63KUA6BJOKTFFW4
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: kerrin leoni, labour, mongrel mob, tāmaki makaurau, chris hipkins, te pāti māori, greens, national, act party, new zealand first, election 2026, whānau
## Labour candidate resigns
Labour candidate Kerrin Leoni resigned after footage showed her appearing to campaign with Mongrel Mob members.
## Campaign turmoil
Labour’s election campaign was thrown into turmoil as Leoni’s resignation comes days before early voting opens.
## Labour leader response
Labour leader Chris Hipkins called campaigning with gangs unacceptable and inconsistent with Labour standards.
## Leoni’s statement
Leoni said the event was a 'whānau function' turned into a political weapon for media clicks.

> Is this really the kind of New Zealand we want to live in?
## Te Pāti Māori reaction
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi said they would not let the controversy distract from dismantling the government.
## Greens’ stance
Greens co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick emphasized their commitment to restorative justice and evidence-based policy.
## National leader critique
National leader Christopher Luxon called Labour’s handling of the scandal 'very chaotic' and accused them of being soft on crime.
## Act Party comment
Act Party deputy leader Nicole McKee accused Labour of romanticizing gangs and failing to protect their whānau.
## New Zealand First accusation
New Zealand First deputy leader Shane Jones accused Labour of romanticizing gangs as 'hardened thugs'.
## No evidence of visit
There is no evidence Leoni visited a gang pad, though footage showed her campaigning with gang members.
## Herald debate reference
Hipkins ruled out allowing Te Pāti Māori and Greens members to serve in law and order portfolios.
## Leoni’s ballot status
Leoni’s name remains on ballot papers as Labour candidate due to late resignation.
## Political fallout
The scandal gives Te Pāti Māori a better chance of triggering a parliamentary overhang.
## Hipkins’ debate comment
Hipkins said the visit was a 'bad judgment' during the Herald’s leaders’ debate.
## Oriini Kaipara’s claim
Te Pāti Māori’s Oriini Kaipara alleged Leoni was at the gang pad during a Whakaata Māori debate.
## What happens next
Labour faces backlash as coalition partners criticize their handling of the scandal days before voting.
## Key takeaway

Labour candidate Kerrin Leoni resigned days before voting after footage emerged of her campaigning with Mongrel Mob members, sparking political backlash.