The Labour-led Government has started the year with a foreign policy shambles, as Duty Minister Jim Anderton publicly disagrees with the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister over Iraq, says National Party Leader John Key.

"Despite what Helen Clark claims, Mr Anderton was Duty Minister yesterday when he made his comments about Iraq," says Mr Key. "If not, then the Government is saying it had no duty minister on deck."

"Helen Clark has attempted to distance the Government from Mr Anderton's comments by claiming he was not speaking as duty minister, but Mr Anderton insisted to Radio NZ today that he was, and that he did not resile from his comments.

"To add to this mess, Foreign Minister Winston Peters today issued a statement calling Mr Anderton's comments 'ill-informed and regrettable', and not reflective of the Government's views.

"Yet this was the same Helen Clark Government that was happy to bag the Americans prior to the 2005 election for political advantage.

"No doubt Mr Anderton, a very experienced politician who would have known the ramifications of his comments, was simply reflecting what he has heard around the Cabinet table.

"He was around, for example, when Helen Clark had to apologise to President Bush for her comments about Al Gore and the Iraq war.

"Now, Helen Clark and Winston Peters are furiously distancing themselves from Mr Anderton – who happens to be the number 3 in the Labour-led Cabinet.

"Helen Clark now needs to say what action she is taking against Mr Anderton."