Former Conservative Party leader Colin Craig says he has been the victim of a co-ordinated political attack and is taking legal action.
Colin Craig - pictured at a news conference earlier in 2015. Photo: RNZ / Kim Baker Wilson
He has announced he is suing blogger Cameron Slater and a former party board member for what he calls a campaign of lies from the "dirty politics brigade".
Mr Craig stepped down as party leader last month amid allegations of inappropriate conduct with his former press secretary, Rachel MacGregor.
He and his wife, Helen Craig, said today they wanted to expose what they said were false and absurd allegations about him.
Mr Craig has published a booklet, which he said contained correspondence between Mr Slater and one of the party's former board members, John Stringer.
The couple are also suing Jordan Williams, who they describe as Mr Slater's apprentice.
Mr Craig told Checkpoint he was suing the trio for defamation to protect his political credibility.
"Going to the court and have the court rule on whether these guys are telling the truth or whether I'm telling the truth does matter," he said.
"That's what political credibility is about. Who's telling the truth? Am I honest or are they honest? We can't both be right. The public do need to know."
Mr Craig said he was willing to return to politics if the public wanted him to.
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