Todd Muller arrives in Wellington on eve of attempt to oust Simon Bridges

National MP Todd Muller says he is talking to other National MPs one-on-one as he arrives in the capital ahead of a coup attempt on Friday.

Muller wrote to MPs on Wednesday evening laying out why he thought he should take over the leadership of the National Party from current leader Simon Bridges, arguing that the party could not win with Bridges as leader.

Arriving in Wellington on the first flight from Auckland, Muller was tight-lipped when approached by Stuff.

Monique Ford/Stuff

National MP Todd Muller said he was talking to his colleagues individually.

Asked what his message for his caucus was, Muller said “that will be a message that I talk to them directly.”

He said he was focused on talking to MPs one-on-one ahead of the vote on Friday.

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“I’m very much focused on conversations with them individually and that’s what I’ll continue to do through till tomorrow.”

Asked if Auckland Central MP Nikki Kaye was indeed his running mate – a fact widely acknowledged within the caucus – Muller demurred.

Monique Ford/Stuff

National MP and leadership aspirant Todd Muller arrives in the capital.

“All conversations about leadership should stay within caucus and that’s where they will be.”

“We’ll see the outcome of our caucus deliberations tomorrow.”

In his letter to his colleagues on Wednesday Muller said it was essential that National win the September election or the results would be catastrophic for “two generations”.

The attempt comes after a devastating poll from Newshub/Reid Research put the National Party at just 30.6 per cent, 26 points behind Labour and well out of contention for Government, with up to 16 MPs losing their jobs.

Things will come to a head on Friday when the caucus will vote on Bridges’ leadership at an emergency meeting in Wellington.

Speaking to Breakfast on Thursday morning, deputy leader Paula Bennett said she was feeling confident, but would not talk about exactly how many of her colleagues backed her and Bridges.

“We’ve got an interesting 36 hours ahead of us. I wish we weren’t doing it because I think there’s more important things we could be doing. But by Friday afternoon we’ll be back out there as a team.”

It’s understood many of the National caucus are arriving in Wellington on Thursday to make sure they can be at Friday’s meeting, as there is no option to attend virtually.