Key resigns

The man set to take the reins from Prime Minister John Key is ready to make changes.

National Party MPs have opted for safety in throwing their support behind Bill English  as prime minister.

Labour leader Andrew Little has said he would rather have an early general election than a by-election after David Shearer's resignation.

The troubled health portfolio is likely to be handed to Dunedin list MP Michael Woodhouse if it is vacated as a result of National's leadership contest, senior doctors' union head Ian Powell says.

It was the first time in Parliament since Prime Minister John Key announced he was going and Labour's front bench was a 10m-wide grin of schadenfreude.

The New Zealand dollar and NZX will remain under pressure this week following the announcement yesterday of the resignation of Prime Minister John Key.

John Key has changed the political game. The most popular Prime Minister in decades quits next Monday. Can Labour pick up the ball?

History will judge John Key as one of New Zealand's best prime ministers, particularly as he is leaving at the top of his political career and well before the possibility of an election defeat.

Departing Prime Minister John Key is trying to manage his succession by sidelining potentially divisive candidates, a veteran political commentator says.

Finance Minister Bill English has an ideal platform on Thursday to launch his campaign to become prime minister, if he is seriously contemplating his options.

Prime Minister John Key wandered into his office yesterday afternoon talking cheerily about a golf game he played in Paraparaumu the day before.

Most  National Party MPs face the most important decision of their careers this week as the lobbying starts on who will replace John Key as Prime Minister and party leader.

Prime Minister John Key seemed genuine when he spoke about wanting to spend more time with family in his resignation speech today, a body language expert says.