Party hopefuls

The National Party is in the market for a new leader following Bill English’s resignation and retirement from politics.

Here is a rundown of the likely party members considering putting their name forward to make up the new leadership team, and their prospects. Paula Bennett: The deputy leader – some may assume she’d be the natural heir but politics doesn’t often work that way. She may well be sounding out her colleagues before throwing her hat in the ring. It’s highly likely she has leadership ambitions but Bennett is not popular within the caucus. Steven Joyce: National’s current No 3 and the party’s campaign manager throughout the election. He’s held that campaign role at three elections, with National getting mixed results.

Simon Bridges: Potentially representative of ‘‘generational change’’, the MP for Tauranga has emerged as an early front runner to be the next leader of the Opposition. But Bridges can also be polarising; what some might call his confidence, others have always described as arrogance. He’s likely to have backing from a significant part of the caucus, and could also herald a shift to the Right. Amy Adams: A well liked and competent caucus member, Adams is ambitious. It was speculated she would go for the deputy role at the last leaddership bid after former prime minister John Key resigned but she never did.

Jonathan Coleman : A leadership contender in 2016 until the 11th hour, when he bowed to English after it became apparent that he did not have the numbers to win. Coleman’s presence in that leadership campaign was largely what prompted the backbench’s cry for ‘‘generational change’’ and a stronger voice on the party’s direction.

Nikki Kaye: From the Left of the party, Kaye is a formidable campaigner and has beaten out Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern twice in the electorate of Auckland Central. However it’s understood her prospects for leadership are low and some sections of National’s caucus feel that she’s gone out on a limb, becoming too far Left with some of her views. And while she voted alongside her colleagues on the issue of medicinal cannabis recently, it’s understood she was one of three MPs seriously considering crossing the floor to vote for the Green Party’s medicinal cannabis bill. This was noted by her cohorts.

Judith Collins: Collins has the profile, cunning and wile to prove her worth as an Opposition MP. There is no doubt she will be an asset for National over the next three years. While many will write off her chances – dismissing her as being too polarising and having made too many mis-steps as a minister – it’s understood that she is considering another tilt. Collins is ambitious and while the leadership might be a long shot, the campaign for it need not lead to demotion – quite the opposite, in fact.