Hone Harawira announced on The Hui he and his Mana Party are returning to politics. He's ready to be back on song, and he's putting the band back together.

He's confident that in next year's election he'll win back the Te Tai Tokerau seat he lost to Labour MP Kelvin Davis, and he's not singing the praises of his Maori political peers.

"Look, no offense to the 25 Maori in Parliament, but they are hardly noticeable," he says. "Maori-dom needs a fighter who is a fighter, not just a backing vocalist."

So next year he will contest his former seat.

"I'm not going back to win it back off him; I'm going in it to win the seat back for Mana because the people of Tai Tokerau deserve Mana back in the House."

Mr Davis disagrees.

"I believe the door on the past needs to be shut and kept firmly shut. We've got to keep looking forward towards the future."

The Mana Party fell apart after teaming up with Kim Dotcom's Internet Party in the last election, and failed to win any seats. But now, according to Mr Harawira, most of the band is back together.

Annette Sykes? "Natural lead singer; doesn't need notes, just sings naturally."

Sue Bradford and John Minto? "We are looking at Jordan Winiata for bass player, but John and Sue, they really don't have the rhythm."

But he's okay with them being roadies. He's also open to sharing the left of the stage with the Maori Party -- not so much Labour and Andrew Little.

"I think he sings from a different song sheet that boy, and it's not exactly the song sheet that fits the Mana profile."

Mr Harawira says many Maori MPs get caught up in party politics and forget who they're meant to representing. He says he will stand up and say what needs to be said, whenever it needs to be said.

Newshub.