The Press reports on the turmoil that is developing within the Labour party over the Glenn affair and over the leak of the news about Williams offering to resign
Labour appears in turmoil over the shock resignation offer of its long-standing president, Mike Williams.
It is also trying to escape the ongoing fallout from its relationship with the billionaire donor Owen Glenn, which prompted Williams's offer.
Labour's embarrassment over the affair was made clear last night when Prime Minister Helen Clark sat out an official hongi that would have brought her and Glenn face to face.
Earlier, Clark was forced to admit that Williams had tendered his resignation over the way he managed public statements about Glenn's financial contributions to the party coffers. Clark refused to accept the resignation.
However, party officials are now upset that damaging details of a private conversation between Williams and Clark were made public.
This is raising further speculation about turmoil within the party.
The Prime Minister's office has flatly denied it leaked the news of Williams's resignation attempt and Williams himself is refusing to talk.
"It was a private conversation between Helen and me. I have no comment," Williams told The Press yesterday.
