KEY POINTS:
John Key is on his way to becoming the next leader of the National Party, after the sudden resignation of Don Brash yesterday.
Mr Key confirmed he was putting up his hand for the top job and deputy leader Gerry Brownlee threw his support behind him.
But Mr
Brownlee refused to say whether he would seek to retain the deputy's job and Simon Power hasn't ruled out a bid for it.
And former leader Bill English refused to rule out making a leadership challenge. He said last night he would talk to his family and his colleagues before making a decision.
"My top priority is to ensure a change of leadership leaves National with an experienced and united team ready to form the next government."
But he is unlikely to succeed.
One senior MP in the Key camp said the numbers had been done and were stacked 42-6 in Mr Key's favour.
Mr English's supporters believe Mr Key's backers have exaggerated the amount of support he has to make him appear the heir apparent.
Mr English is not believed to be interested in being Mr Key's deputy, but will expect to be finance spokesman, considered the party's second-best job. Keeping his options open on a leadership bid may be partly a negotiating ploy to encourage Mr Key to give him the job and avoid the disruption of a challenge.
The caucus will vote on the leadership and deputy leadership on Monday.
Mr Key yesterday gave a stand-up press conference, but refused to give any other interviews.
"I think I can make a great contribution, but it's for my caucus colleagues to decide and I'll be taking nothing for granted," he said.
He believed he could bring "a new approach to modern-day politics ... The people of New Zealand are crying out for new leadership."
Dr Brash appeared determined to avoid naming his preferred successor, but let it slip on TV One's Close Up programme that he believed Mr Key would get the job.
Asked about his future, Dr Brash said: "I came into Parliament not to be leader but to be the finance spokesman.
"If I get a senior portfolio which is something where I can make a contribution - and that's an important qualification - then I would be inclined to stay."
Sources in the Key camp last night ruled out Dr Brash getting the finance job, but said he would be given a "significant" portfolio.
A well-placed source suggested Mr English or Tony Ryall would get the finance role, a signal that Mr Ryall may have switched allegiance from Mr English to Mr Key.
Dr Brash said he decided about three weeks ago to resign and it had nothing to do with the imminent release of Nicky Hager's book, The Hollow Men.
The book had almost encouraged him to defer his announcement.
Continuing speculation about his leadership and the expectation he would be stepping down had become too damaging for the party and were behind his decision, he said.
Hager believed Dr Brash had been pushed by his colleagues.
"There are other people who are highly implicated in the book trying to save their own skins."
Asked how Mr Key fared in the book, he said: "He wasn't one of the main players ... but there's enough about John Key that raised questions about him," that National's caucus should see before voting.
- additional reporting: Paula Oliver
