Labour leader Chris Hipkins says he will stay in parliament but his leadership future is still to be determined

The defeated Labour leader Chris Hipkins has told reporters he is "not done with politics yet".

But his role as party leader is still up in the air.

Hipkins was speaking when arriving for the first party caucus since Labour was routed in Saturday's election. 

That defeat has led to speculation that his role as party leader might be up for debate.

Asked about this, Hipkins refused to go into any detail, saying he wanted to speak to his party members first. 

But he said he had given an assurance to the people of the Remutaka electorate that he would serve them for the full three year term when he stood for the seat and he would honour that pledge. 

But he gave no further comment, and any further progress will depend on the outcome of the caucus meeting. 

Further information is expected this afternoon.  

Meanwhile, a highly rated MP, Kieran McAnulty gave Hipkins complete support as he entered the caucus and declared he had no interest in the leadership himself. 

Hipkins' number two, Grant Robertson, also ruled out any role as leader and indicated he might move on after helping Labour get set up as an efffective opposition. 

But he gave no time frame beyond saying this process would take "a matter of months."

"My job at the moment is turning us into a really high class opposition. My commitment is to do that and then I will make assessments as I go through the (parliamentary) term," Robertson said.

Robertson also said it was a "relatively new phenomenon" for a party leader to think about quitting after losing an election.

"My predictuion is that we will end up with around 28% after the special votes are counted.  That is the same number that Helen Clark got in 1996 and she won the 1999 election.

"Chippy is a good person, and he certainly has my support."

Andrew Little quits

In another development, the senior Labour Minister Andrew Little is leaving politics. 

He will not take up his list seat for the next Parliament.

“I’m grateful for the opportunities my country and party have given me to serve the community,” Little says. 

“With the party going into opposition it’s important to give those who will form the Seventh Labour Government every opportunity to hone their skills and cement a strong team," Little says.

“Labour stands for the fundamental values of millions of New Zealanders: a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work, opportunities for the many not just the few, and respect for all people and communities."

Little says the labour movement is bigger than any caucus or parliamentary term, and bigger than any individual.

He expects to return to the law.  

Little is a List MP, so  his resignation will not require a by-election and the next eligible person on the Labour Party List will take his place.