Hone Harawira will spend the next fortnight with family and supporters back home before deciding whether to call the Maori Party’s bluff.

Co-leaders Tariana Turia and Pita Sharples made it clear yesterday that there was little prospect of the maverick MP rehabilitating himself and the party was “moving on”.

Asked whether the party could still work with Mr Harawira if he promised to mend his ways, Mrs Turia responded: “I don’t think Hone is likely to change.”

MPs are due back in Parliament next week after a two-week recess, but Mr Harawira has been given two weeks’ leave to consult his electorate.

He has been asked to quit or face being pushed after an expletive-filled outburst over a public backlash to his unscheduled trip to Paris. But sources suggested a challenge over the party’s actions as a breach of its constitution was possible, indicating that Mr Harawira may call its bluff.

Dr Sharples made it clear yesterday that Mr Harawira was damaging the party, after his outburst accusing “white motherf…ers” of “raping our lands and ripping us off for centuries” stirred up a race relations hornet’s nest.

“We’re having difficulty controlling him, let’s be straight up about that,” Dr Sharples said. “Tariana has had 600 emails as a response to the email Hone sent. I’ve had hundreds as well. Quite clearly there is concern about his behaviour.”

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