Labour MP Duncan Webb Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Labour MP Duncan Webb has apologised after tweeting a jibe about ACT leader David Seymour, asking if he does not like hummus because it is too close to Hamas.
Seymour had earlier criticised the Middle Eastern dip as part of his campaign against so-called woke food - when rolling out the new school lunch programme.
In a statement to RNZ, Webb said his tweet was an error of judgement and he promptly deleted it.
A screenshot of the tweet. Photo: X
Labour leader Chris Hipkins said he told Webb indirectly the tweet was inappropriate.
"I understand it was deleted within a matter of minutes. I think he probably reflected on it, realised that he'd made a mistake. It is a mistake, he shouldn't have done it," Hipkins said.
"It's a bad judgement and I think he realises it's a bad judgement."
He said he did not understand the point of the tweet.
"I think everybody now and then needs to take a deep breath and think a little bit more before they engage in tweeting or sometimes speaking."
Finance Minister Nicola Willis said the tweet was "offensive".
"It is not a laughing matter. There are people dying in an extreme conflict which is, I think, very upsetting to all of us who watch it and I don't think it's a subject for Parliamentary humour."
Willis said Webb's deletion of the tweet was the right thing to do.
"I'm a big believer that when people make mistakes and correct them, we should give them credit for that. So good on him".