National Party preparing plans for Bill English's successor: Barry Soper

Name: Bill English on the Child Poverty Bill
Uploaded: 2018-01-30T12:03:07+13:00
Duration: 63 s
Description: National leader Bill English says Labour had offered a briefing just before the targets were released but he was yet to see what was in it and there had been no consultation on the details in it.

Newstalk ZB

30 Jan, 2018 05:13 PM2 mins to read

National leader Bill English says Labour had offered a briefing just before the targets were released but he was yet to see what was in it and there had been no consultation on the details in it.

The numbers are being counted in the National Party, with Bill English expected by some of his colleagues to call it quits, says Newstalk ZB's political editor Barry Soper.

Soper says it's a question of when, and the numbers are now being done for those who want to succeed him.

"A push against Mr English is unlikely," Soper says.

"It is expected he will be allowed to go gracefully and with dignity but those behind him are now lining up to replace him.

"His deputy, Paula Bennett, might see herself as his natural successor but her own future in her current role is by no means certain, with some in the party seeing her as his Achilles heel during the last election and are not discounting she could be replaced as soon as next week's caucus."

One source told Newstalk ZB that if a move was made against Bennett in next week's caucus, it would be supported.

Soper said the party's MPs will meet behind closed doors in Simon Bridges' electorate of Tauranga next Thursday and Friday.

"There is a general acceptance that Bill English was robbed of the Prime Minister's job by Winston Peters, but senior MPs are now jockeying for support from their colleagues to replace him."