Nicky Hager's book Dirty Politics was released weeks out from the election and included allegations that Ede, a senior adviser to Prime Minister John Key, accessed Labour's online membership records without authorisation and passed the information to WhaleOil blogger Cameron Slater.
Ede had been working for the National party but this morning on TV3's Firstline Mr Key confirmed Ede had resigned.
"...He's given 11 long years to the party and loyal service to the party. There are some comments made in the book that I think we would all strongly disagree with. His primary role really started out as a media person for us and part of his role was talking to bloggers.
"I think after 11 years he's decided, look, the time's come for him to leave."
Mr Key said he didn't suggest Ede should leave his role with the National party.
Ede was tagged in Hager's book as Slater's primary Beehive contact and was described as National's "black ops" man.
During the period the book covered, Ede worked from the Prime Minister's Department, liaised with Slater and other right-wing bloggers, allegedly feeding them gossip, research and tips.
A former journalist for Taranaki Daily News and TVNZ, by 2003 Ede was a senior press secretary in the National Party leader's office working alongside David Farrar, who later set up the right-wing Kiwiblog.
Ede this year moved from the Prime Minister's office to work for the National Party on its election campaign but still retained his staff access card to Parliament.
He went to ground in the wake of the Dirty Politics allegations and has not responded to the claims in Dirty Politics.
