The New Zealand Herald editor has apologised for publishing a reader's letter containing a death threat to Christchurch Labour MP Tim Barnett. Published in last Wednesday's Herald, the correspondent objected to the MP's sexual orientation and claimed his politics were akin to a rabid dog's and deserved a similar fate. "The phrase concerned should not have appeared but was missed by me, when approving the letters for the day. After the "put down" line was raised with me by Gay Watch this afternoon I phoned Tim Barnett, apologised and we will run a brief apology to him on the letters page tomorrow,” said Herald editor Tim Murphy. “It was a highly unfortunate breach of our letters to the editor policy which certainly does not allow threats or abuse of this type. We are sorry that it occurred."