Brian Tamaki has hit out at National leader Christopher Luxon for ruling out working with his newly launched political party.
This is despite Tamaki saying it would be "like selling your soul out to the devil" if his party, Freedoms NZ, did work with National.
Speaking with Newstalk ZB's Mike Hosking earlier on Thursday, Luxon confirmed he would never work with Tamaki's political party after previously refusing to rule it out.
"What I've tried to say consistently is, I've got nothing in common with Tamaki, I think they're crazy, I don't think they're serious, I don't think they are going to make it and you saw that coalition fall apart and I said read between the lines," the National leader said.
"If it helps, Mike, I am very happy to give you a Mike Hosking exclusive and rule out Tamaki and never work with him but I just want us to get back to focus on the big issues because this country is in trouble."
In an opinion piece sent to media on Thursday, Tamaki questioned why Luxon used the word "crazy".
"'They are crazy!' Wow! Who are 'they'? Is it the tens of thousands of people pictured below?" Tamaki wrote, attaching images of various protests he's led in cities and over the Auckland Harbour Bridge.
Tamaki refuted Luxon's comment that the pair have nothing in common, so he compiled a list, pointing to being Christian, hard-working, and once a National voter as some of the common themes.
He added being a freedom fighter, Māori, a concerned grandparent, being forgotten "at the hands of political parties" and "harmed" by the Government's COVID-19 health measures as some of the things the pair and Tamaki's followers commonly share.
He went on to add he and Luxon should have plenty in common if "he actually gives a damn about Kiwis".
"By calling all of the above "crazy" and writing us ALL off saying he will never work with us, he is writing off votes from the above, emboldening the vote towards Freedoms NZ and signing National's political death warrant."
Tamaki went further and warned Labour and National of Freedoms NZ's political arrival.
"So get ready…here comes the Kingmaker, whether you like it or not Luxon and Robertson! Fortunately…you don't get to decide…the people do!"
He said he isn't standing to be in Parliament, instead doing "everything possible to get good people within Freedom New Zealand into Parliament".
And while Tamaki is still "fine-tuning" his strategies, he is firm in his belief that Freedoms NZ "will ultimately hold the Kingmaker position".
In the end, Tamaki said he didn't want to work with National or Labour anyway because "that's like selling your soul out to the devil".
