Ex-NZ PM Bill English To Quit Politics
‘I believe this will give National’s new leader time to prepare the party for the 2020 election. It has been a huge privilege to lead the party and serve in politics’
The former New Zealand Prime Minister Bill English has resigned as leader of the opposition less than six months after being defeated by Labour’s ‘stardust’ Jacinda Ardern. Speculation had been building for weeks that Mr English would step aside, and the decision became clear after the National party met for a two-day conference in Tauranga last week.
“Now is the right time for me to step aside and embark on new professional and personal challenges. “I informed the national caucus this morning (yesterday) that I am resigning as leader of the National Party,” Mr English said at an emotional press conference, in which he teared up and had difficulty speaking.
“I believe this will give National’s new leader time to prepare the party in time for the 2020 election. It has been a huge privilege to lead the party and serve in politics.” Mr English said he would step aside on February 27, and the party would then vote on their new leader and deputy leader to take them to the 2020 election.
National secured 46 per cent of the vote in the 2017 September election, giving it 58 seats in parliament, while Labour took home 35.8 per cent and 45 seats.
After weeks of deliberation kingmaker Winston Peters threw his support behind the Labour party, allowing them to form a coalition government with the Greens, with Ms Ardern as Prime Minister.
Reaction
Ms Ardern was one of the first to thank him for his public service after he made his announcement. Mr English - who entered politics from the Clutha-Southland district 27 years ago - is a former farmer and English literature graduate who has six children and is a practising Roman Catholic.
He led the National party to its worst ever defeat in 2002 and struggled to match Ms Ardern’s star appeal at the last election, frequently being referred to as “boring” by commentators, and missing the xfactor that endeared John Key and Ms Ardern to the New Zealand public.
The former deputy prime minister Paula Bennett is a frontrunner for the leadership of the National party, and said Mr English would be greatly missed.