# National accuses Labour of spreading election conspiracy theories > National leader claims Labour spreads conspiracy theories about electoral manipulation. - Title: National accuses Labour of spreading election conspiracy… - Summary: National leader claims Labour spreads conspiracy theories about electoral manipulation. - Keywords: election 2026, national party, labour party, chris hipkins, christopher luxon, overhang strategy, electoral system, conspiracy theories, NZ Herald - Source: NZ Herald — https://nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/election-2026-national-accuses-labours-chris-hipkins-of-spreading-conspiracy-theories-with-election-allegation/SDVPGZC5EVHRTBN5STYYZX6ODA - Read time: 2 min - Topics: election 2026, national party, labour party, chris hipkins, christopher luxon, overhang strategy, electoral system, conspiracy theories, politics, news ## National accuses Labour of conspiracy theories National leader Christopher Luxon called Labour's election allegation a 'load of rubbish' and campaign chair Simeon Brown said Labour spreads 'absolute conspiracy theories'. > load of rubbish ## Hipkins denies manipulating electoral system Labour leader Chris Hipkins said he did not claim National manipulated the electoral system but that they 'lost the party vote' and 'hold on to power through manipulation'. > did not claim ## Overhang strategy explanation National's path to power relies on an overhang created by winning more electorates than seats their party vote would entitle them to. > overhang ## Hipkins' overhang claim Hipkins suggested National's electorate candidates were running an overhang strategy despite Luxon's campaign for two ticks blue. > overhang strategy ## Bishop-Peters interaction Hipkins claimed Chris Bishop stood next to Winston Peters to get NZ First endorsement but Bishop said it was 'just nonsense' and 'utter crap'. > just nonsense ## National's response National MPs said they asked for two ticks blue like every campaign and that Hipkins' allegation was 'atrocious' and 'bunch of rubbish'. > bunch of rubbish ## Te Pāti Māori overhang Te Pāti Māori deliberately engineered their own overhang which appears successful, but Labour leader said they should aim to win elections rather than manipulate the system. > engineered their own overhang ## Hipkins' caucus meeting Hipkins made comments ahead of Labour's first post-election caucus meeting on Tuesday where he denied saying National manipulated the electoral system. > first post-election caucus meeting ## National's campaign strategy National campaign chair Simeon Brown said Labour's office is spreading conspiracy theories after the public voted for National. > conspiracy theories ## Electoral system clarification National MPs clarified they ran a straight party vote campaign and did not manipulate the electoral system with vote-splitting strategies. > straight party vote campaign ## Hipkins' election claim Hipkins claimed National 'lost the party vote' and 'only holding on to power through manipulation' of the electoral system. > lost the party vote ## National's integrity claim National MP Erica Stanford said they have integrity because they asked for two ticks blue like every campaign. > two ticks blue ## Hipkins' overhang strategy Hipkins suggested National's electorate candidates were running an overhang strategy despite Luxon's campaign for two ticks blue. > overhang strategy ## Te Pāti Māori coalition Te Pāti Māori is a potential coalition partner of Hipkins' Labour party and deliberately engineered their own overhang strategy. > engineered their own overhang strategy ## Hipkins' caucus meeting response Hipkins walked off after being asked if he stood by saying National manipulated the electoral system, saying 'That’s not what I said'. > that’s not what I said ## National's election claim National leader Christopher Luxon said Hipkins' allegation was a 'load of rubbish' and Labour's office spreads 'conspiracy theories'. > load of rubbish ## Key takeaway National leader Christopher Luxon says Labour leader Chris Hipkins falsely claims National manipulated the electoral system with an overhang strategy.