`LAPDOG' UNITED FUTURE BARES TEETH IN ELECTION LEADUP.

(From New Zealand Press Association)

United Future has been forcing changes or withdrawing support on several pieces of legislation. Maggie Tait of NZPA asks if the party is moving to show it's not Labour's lap dog in the lead-up to this year's election, or simply a coincidence.

Wellington, June 1 - United Future has been throwing its weight around over changes it wants to pot into law.

However, party leader Peter Dunne insists the spate of disagreements over legislation is coincidental and is not a pitch to define itself before the general election.

``I think it's more coincidence than anything else because we have been putting our foot down on a number of pieces of legislation over the past three years,'' Mr Dunne told NZPA.

``It's the timetable more than anything else. Nothing's changed -- there's no sudden plan to be more stroppy or anything like …