As the dust settles on last night’s confirmation that Winston Peters and NZ First have backed Labour to lead the next Government, attention is turning to Mr English’s future.
Campaign manager Steven Joyce said today normally a party leader would be “turfed out” if they didn’t get into Government, but this result was unusual, given National was easily the biggest party on 44.4%.
“It is an unusual thing. And I don’t think anybody could say he didn’t lead the National Party well and run a great campaign,” Joyce told Newstalk ZB.
“And normally what happens in these situations is you are sort of turfed out and then it’s a case of people saying, ‘oh well, I might head off'. But this is a very different situation.”
Mr Joyce said he wanted Mr English to stay on as leader, and his intention was to stick around as well.
“It has been an interesting 24 hours. But as Bill said last night, that’s the way MMP works. That’s the way democracy works. And we wish the new Government all the best.”
Judith Collins, who would be a possible leadership contender, told TVNZ's Breakfast programme that Mr English did a fantastic job during the campaign.
“I don’t see any sense of change at the moment,” Ms Collins said. “I am very much looking forward to being part of a very strong opposition led by Bill English.
“I think he has a huge mandate from the caucus. We are very united. I am just so looking forward to holding the next Government to account. It’s going to be an interesting time.”
Brett Hudson was one of several National MPs to watch English address media at the Beehive last night. He said Mr English had run an excellent campaign.
“Bill did an absolutely fantastic job. You look at the numbers... Bill can be phenomenally proud.
“I think we are all going to take some time to adjust to a role in opposition. Bill has my confidence. I believe he has the confidence of my colleagues... the decision should be his. And I don’t think it is a decision that anyone should be rushed into.”
Another senior National figure told the New Zealand Herald it would be Mr English’s call on the leadership.
“I think he would be genuinely appalled that having got that sort of result that he is not the Prime Minister.
“It has only been a day. I don’t sense any moves on him. I think he’s pretty much there - if he wants to be there, he’s there.”
Leadership talks soon
Mr English said last night the leadership would be discussed "in the next few weeks".
Speaking 90 minutes after Mr Peters' decision to side with Labour, Mr English promised National would be ‘‘by far the strongest Opposition party that Parliament has seen, because almost one in two New Zealanders did support us.
"For a party going into Opposition, we’re in better shape . . . with talent and energy and ideas. A group of people we’ve geared up to be a government. We’re not going to be . . . we accept that.’’
Mr English said he did not know why Mr Peters had chosen Labour over National, but the negotiations, from his point of view, had been ‘‘satisfactory’’.
He described it as an ‘‘unusual’’ result for MMP. He questioned whether there was a result anywhere in the world where a party took 44% of the vote and did not win. But he accepted what had happened.
‘‘The result is clear. We accept that result.’’
Mr English said speculation about Cabinet posts being a sticking point was ‘‘quite wrong’’.
‘‘Tonight is the opportunity to thank all the people who engaged with us, supported us. . . but also to say the Government is going to change . . . we wish them well.’’
Mr English said Mr Peters' decision to make his announcement without first telling Mr English or Ms Ardern, was a ‘‘detail’’.
Asked about the dollar’s fall yesterday, Mr English, who was finance minister in John Key’s government, said: ‘‘The economy is in pretty good shape, actually. . . since the GFC. That presents a very good opportunity for an incoming Government, and I hope they take it.’’
He called Jacinda Ardern’s rise a ‘‘remarkable performance’’ and said his advice to her was to take the role very seriously but not take herself too seriously. Mr English said she should build on the positive direction the country had been going in.
