- 25 Oct 2003 06:26
#37357
Brash makes all or nothing bid for Nats leadership
(Nats being the National Party, the New Zealand centre-right party which is part of the oppposition to the Labour-led Government)
Third-ranked National MP Don Brash said this afternoon he will challenge for the leadership of the party next week and will resign as the party's finance spokesman and from the front bench if he is unsuccessful.
Dr Brash told a press conference this afternoon he decided to mount the challenge after being approached by several caucus colleagues.
He denied there had been any attempt this week to roll National leader Bill English, and said he had made his intention to challenge public to clarify his position and to quell growing media speculation about a possible coup.
He declined to name his supporters but said he had the numbers in the 26-strong caucus for a leadership challenge.
Rumours had been swirling all week of a coup plot against Mr English. It was expected to come to a head at a National caucus meeting next Thursday but Dr Brash's announcement has now pre-empted that.
A secret ballot is now to expected to decide who will lead the party into the next general election.
Dr Brash said he informed Mr English of his intentions this morning.
"There was no attempted coup, there was no gathering of signatures. I was approached by a number of colleagues over the last few days to put my name forward and eventually decided that rather than wait until next Thursday, the fact that I was being approached was becoming public knowledge and I should make that known to the public."
Dr Brash said it was fair to say Mr English was not "wildly enthusiastic" but was courteous and polite when told of the challenge.
Dr Brash, a former Reserve Bank Governor, said he had long experience in leadership in the public and private sectors and was a decisive leader.
"I think that will be a very considerable help to us in the future."
He said he had the support of a "significant number" of the caucus and said the majority had urged him to consider a challenge.
"Should my leadership bid be unsuccessful, I will be doing the decent thing and resigning as shadow finance minister and from the opposition front bench," Dr Brash said.
Dr Brash said it would be difficult for Mr English if he was to continue as "his left hand in Parliament" and as finance spokesman if the bid was unsuccessful.
While he "clearly" had the experience needed to lead the party, Dr Brash said he would be relying on the experience of his caucus colleagues to fight the election.
"Under my leadership, National would take the lead in encouraging New Zealanders to lift our sights, to believe that we can once again be successful and to stop an arrogant Labour minority government from presiding over our country's slow decline."
Dr Brash also denied there was an earlier coup attempt in April.
"This on the other hand is clearly a challenge to the leadership and this is quite open and quite explicit and I'm not trying to hide that at all."
Mr English has refused to comment, further fuelling rampant speculation that he knows he faces a challenge.
Some National MPs have felt desperate about the party's low polling and Mr English's poor level of personal popularity.
Mr English's confusing comments this week about inviting a United States warship to visit New Zealand was seen as further evidence of his inability to get a clear message across.
Dr Brash is seen by his colleagues as an excellent policy-maker but there are serious doubts about his general political expertise, and whether he can persuade voters he can be a good prime minister.
Thursday's caucus meeting was arranged weeks ago as a policy formation forum.
Mr English said tonight he was sure he would lead National into the next election.
"I have the confidence and support of the majority of the National caucus," he said in a statement.
"I do not intend to enter a destabilising debate on personalities and portfolios.
"National's efforts should be directed at exposing Labour's politically-correct, ideology-driven agenda.
"We will not be distracted from this and we will continue with the preparation of popular policies on citizenship, welfare, education and the economy that we can take to the public at the next election."
(Nats being the National Party, the New Zealand centre-right party which is part of the oppposition to the Labour-led Government)
Third-ranked National MP Don Brash said this afternoon he will challenge for the leadership of the party next week and will resign as the party's finance spokesman and from the front bench if he is unsuccessful.
Dr Brash told a press conference this afternoon he decided to mount the challenge after being approached by several caucus colleagues.
He denied there had been any attempt this week to roll National leader Bill English, and said he had made his intention to challenge public to clarify his position and to quell growing media speculation about a possible coup.
He declined to name his supporters but said he had the numbers in the 26-strong caucus for a leadership challenge.
Rumours had been swirling all week of a coup plot against Mr English. It was expected to come to a head at a National caucus meeting next Thursday but Dr Brash's announcement has now pre-empted that.
A secret ballot is now to expected to decide who will lead the party into the next general election.
Dr Brash said he informed Mr English of his intentions this morning.
"There was no attempted coup, there was no gathering of signatures. I was approached by a number of colleagues over the last few days to put my name forward and eventually decided that rather than wait until next Thursday, the fact that I was being approached was becoming public knowledge and I should make that known to the public."
Dr Brash said it was fair to say Mr English was not "wildly enthusiastic" but was courteous and polite when told of the challenge.
Dr Brash, a former Reserve Bank Governor, said he had long experience in leadership in the public and private sectors and was a decisive leader.
"I think that will be a very considerable help to us in the future."
He said he had the support of a "significant number" of the caucus and said the majority had urged him to consider a challenge.
"Should my leadership bid be unsuccessful, I will be doing the decent thing and resigning as shadow finance minister and from the opposition front bench," Dr Brash said.
Dr Brash said it would be difficult for Mr English if he was to continue as "his left hand in Parliament" and as finance spokesman if the bid was unsuccessful.
While he "clearly" had the experience needed to lead the party, Dr Brash said he would be relying on the experience of his caucus colleagues to fight the election.
"Under my leadership, National would take the lead in encouraging New Zealanders to lift our sights, to believe that we can once again be successful and to stop an arrogant Labour minority government from presiding over our country's slow decline."
Dr Brash also denied there was an earlier coup attempt in April.
"This on the other hand is clearly a challenge to the leadership and this is quite open and quite explicit and I'm not trying to hide that at all."
Mr English has refused to comment, further fuelling rampant speculation that he knows he faces a challenge.
Some National MPs have felt desperate about the party's low polling and Mr English's poor level of personal popularity.
Mr English's confusing comments this week about inviting a United States warship to visit New Zealand was seen as further evidence of his inability to get a clear message across.
Dr Brash is seen by his colleagues as an excellent policy-maker but there are serious doubts about his general political expertise, and whether he can persuade voters he can be a good prime minister.
Thursday's caucus meeting was arranged weeks ago as a policy formation forum.
Mr English said tonight he was sure he would lead National into the next election.
"I have the confidence and support of the majority of the National caucus," he said in a statement.
"I do not intend to enter a destabilising debate on personalities and portfolios.
"National's efforts should be directed at exposing Labour's politically-correct, ideology-driven agenda.
"We will not be distracted from this and we will continue with the preparation of popular policies on citizenship, welfare, education and the economy that we can take to the public at the next election."
- By Wellsy
- By ingliz
- By wat0n