Bill English looks forward to real scrap ahead

AUDREY YOUNG talks to Bill English about his plans as National Party leader during election year.

Bill English spent three hours wandering around the boot parties after the Wellington Cup on Saturday, meeting several hundred people.

And that's the way it's going to be this election year, says the nearly new National Party leader.

"I will be running a more informal public style than Clark," he told the Herald yesterday.

It is an interview in which he is barely able to answer a question without reference to Prime Minister Helen Clark, usually bluntly as "Clark" or for really studied disrespect, as "Mrs Clark."

It's not difficult to see why. She is his problem. It is her glowing profile and popularity that he must dent this year to justify the caucus decision last October to replace the matronly Jenny Shipley with a new model - Mr English celebrated his 40th birthday at New Year.

He believes the public has an appetite for "a good hard scrap" from National.

"There's an uneasiness about how Clark has managed to reduce politics almost entirely to news management and personal profile.

"In a sense, people's expectations have been lowered and it's our job to lift those expectations."

He perceived a sense of impatience and expectation for an election-year fight.

"If they were all as happy with Clark as they say they are, then they wouldn't even be listening.

"Everybody goes on about Clark but she's just another politician who was once Leader of the Opposition. I'm not fazed by that at all."

National's polling has not moved markedly since the leadership change.

The caucus did not expect it to, Mr English maintains, but the public had other ideas.

"I think there was an unfair expectation that in the middle of a war where any Prime Minister should look like they're on top, that a new leader was somehow going to make a big impression."

So does he accept the commonly held view that he has not made a big impression as leader.

"No, I don't agree with that. My job has been to get some messages across - that National is returning to its moderate, broad-based roots.

"That message is out there. We've achieved that in a pretty short time.

"Now they want to see more of the personality of the leader and the colour of the policy.

"They are impatient to hear from us. But I like to get the plumbing and wiring right, which I've now got organised and they'll be hearing from us."

The party cranked itself up last week with the historic first visit by a National leader to the Labour-stronghold of Ratana.

Part of the "rewiring" will be completed this week when Mr English is expected to relinquish the finance spokesmanship to Canterbury-based list MP David Carter, a move foreshadowed when the leadership changed.

The caucus will meet in Auckland next week straight after Waitangi Day, when some policies will be nailed down.

Auckland transport issues will be out before the Budget, as will education.

"We think the whole bureaucratic creep and the lowering of expectations is starting to create a sense of anxiety among parents. So we will be pushing that along."

Superannuation will be a giant issue for National this year.

The party supports the present level of superannuation but not the legislation guaranteeing that level for 100 years.

"We think that's a nonsense and the public don't believe it."

Labour would likely suggest that because National did not support the 100-year guarantee, it would cut super.

"That truncates 100 years of demographic and economic events into the nine months between now and the next elections.

"We're just not going to play that stupid game. The fact is the future is uncertain."

Mr English rates the chances of an early election as "pretty much zero."

"For a Prime Minister who has run on being in control, an early election looks like you're out of control.

"Kiwis don't like elections any more than they have to have them."