Bill English is expected to become the next Prime Minister of New Zealand after being elected as the leader of the National Party.

English will replace former Prime Minister John Key, who unexpectedly resigned on December 5 after leading his party for 10 years and the country for eight.

"I am both excited and humbled by this opportunity," English said in a statement. "As Prime Minister, I will be committed to building a New Zealand which rewards hard work and enterprise and which cares for our most vulnerable."

English said that he and Paula Bennett, who will be his deputy leader, will be sworn in on Monday. </s> New Zealand Prime Minister Bill English and Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett on Monday. Credit:Cameron Burnell/Fairfax NZ Asked whether he would stay on for the full term if he wins the elections in 2017, Mr English said: "That's about three layers of hypotheticals there. Let's wait until I'm sworn in first." He is expected to be sworn in on Monday afternoon. Mr English takes the reins of a country in good economic shape compared to much of the developed world. He has held several ministerial posts across education, health and finance since joining parliament in 1990.

As finance minister, his key policies included moves to partly privatise several state-owned energy firms and Air New Zealand, cutting personal tax and corporate tax rates and increasing the goods and services tax. National Party Deputy Leader, Bill English, was also Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister. He becomes NZ's 39th Prime Minister Credit:Getty Images Heading into the caucus meeting, Mr Key said he had confidence in his successor. "But I know I'm passing over to tremendously good hands in the form of Bill English and Paula Bennett and they're going to steer the country extremely well," Mr Key said. John Key resigned last week. Credit:Getty Images

Ms Bennett is the first Maori in a leadership position in a long while. In comments after the vote she said it was part of her identity, but was not going to pretend to have grown up on a marae. Despite initial competition from Health Minister Jonathan Coleman and Police Minister Judith Collins, Mr English was the last man standing in the race. Both stood down on Thursday after it became clear the 54-year-old finance minister had the backing of the majority of the 59-member caucus. Ms Collins says she didn't expect to be punished for her failed bid at the leadership, nor does Simon Bridges who was hopeful for a continued role in cabinet. The transport minister on Saturday withdrew his own bid to be deputy, clearing the way for fifth ranked Mrs Bennett to be elected unopposed.

He said the new leaders were "spoilt for choice" with those around them. Mr English has already revealed senior cabinet minister Steven Joyce would replace him as finance minister. "You'll see probably a typical finance minister with some interest in particular areas," Mr Joyce said as he walked into the vote. There are expected to be more tweaks to come in terms of cabinet and policy. Loading

"We'll use it as an opportunity for a stocktake and we'll see how that looks in January, February," he said. AAP, Stuff.co.nz, Reuters </s> Bill English sworn in as New Zealand PM after Key exit

WELLINGTON -- New Zealand's socially conservative finance chief Bill English was sworn in as the country's new prime minister on Monday following last week's shock resignation of his popular predecessor John Key.

The centre-right National Party caucus unanimously backed English at a meeting on Monday morning and he travelled to Government House in Wellington a few hours later to officially take over.

English, 54, said he was "excited and humbled" to take the top job after eight years as Key's deputy and finance minister.

"This will be a government supporting economic growth and ensuring that the benefits of growth are widely shared," he told reporters.

National Party president Peter Goodfellow said English and Bennett offered "a good mixture of experience and fresh thinking".

"Under their leadership, New Zealanders will continue to benefit from the stable government they expect, along with a dedicated focus on delivering results for families and businesses," he said.

A former farmer with degrees in commerce and literature, English has been in parliament since 1990 and was previously leader of the National Party in 2002 when it suffered its worst election defeat.

"You learn more from losing than you do from winning," said English, who will seek National's fourth straight election win in late 2017.

He was Key's preferred successor after returning New Zealand's budget to surplus and keeping the economy ticking over at about three percent. </s> WELLINGTON, New Zealand — The conservative caucus in New Zealand's Parliament has chosen Bill English to be the next prime minister.

English emerged victorious Monday following a meeting of the National Party caucus. Two other candidates for the job withdrew last week after English gained more support. He is to be officially sworn in later Monday.

His ascension from deputy prime minister follows the surprise resignation last week of John Key after eight years as prime minister.

Key was a popular leader and was expected to contest a fourth straight election next year. But he said he wanted to leave while he was on top and to spend more time with his wife and two children.

The 54-year-old English is a former farmer and practicing Roman Catholic who has degrees in commerce and literature. </s> The former New Zealand prime minister Bill English has resigned as leader of the opposition less than six months after being defeated by Labour’s ‘stardust’ Jacinda Ardern.

Speculation had been building for weeks that English would step aside, and the decision became clear after the National party met for a two-day conference in Tauranga last week.

“Now is the right time for me to step aside and embark on new professional and personal challenges. I informed the national caucus this morning that I am resigning as leader of the national party,” English said at an emotional press conference this morning.

“I believe this will give National’s new leader time to prepare the party time for the 2020 election. It has been a huge privilege to lead the party and serve in politics.”

English said he would step aside on 27 February.

National secured 46% of the vote in the 2017 September election, giving it 58 seats in parliament, while Labour took home 35.8% and 45 seats.

After weeks of deliberation kingmaker Winston Peters threw his support behind the Labour party, allowing them to form a coalition government with the Greens, as Ardern as prime minister. </s> SYDNEY (Reuters) - Former New Zealand Prime Minister Bill English said he will resign from parliament at the end of February, months after the National Party lost office despite winning more seats than any other party in last year’s election.

English was finance minister from 2008 in John Key’s National government, and became prime minister after Key stepped down from office in late 2016.

English led the National Party into last September’s election, where it fell five seats short of a majority. After protracted negotiations lasting nearly a month, Labour leader Jacinda Ardern struck a deal with the smaller NZ First party to form government.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Ardern paid tribute to her predecessor’s political career, which began in 1990. English was also leader of the Nationals in 2002 when the party recorded its worst ever election defeat.

“Bill has made a huge contribution through his time in office and to politics generally,” Ardern said on Twitter. “I admire those who serve NZ in this place, and Bill did for a long time, and he did it well.”

English made world headlines last year when he posted pictures on Facebook of a dinner he made for his family - pizza topped with tinned spaghetti and pineapple. His unorthodox tastes led U.S. talk show host Jimmy Kimmel to urge New Zealanders to “impeach that man immediately!”

English said his resignation would take effect on Feb. 27. While he would not comment on potential successors to lead the National Party, he said his departure now would give the party time to find a new leader to take them to the 2020 national election. </s> WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Bill English, New Zealand’s finance minister and a former farmer, will be sworn in as the country’s 39th prime minister on Monday after his colleagues in the Parliament chose him as their new leader.

English emerged victorious from a meeting of the conservative National Party caucus. Two other candidates for the job withdrew last week after English gained more support than them. He is to be officially sworn in on Monday afternoon.

His ascension from deputy prime minister follows the surprise resignation last week of John Key after eight years as prime minister.

Key was a popular leader and was expected to contest a fourth straight election next year. But he said he wanted to leave while he was on top and to spend more time with his wife and two children.

English, 54, has degrees in commerce and literature. He has been praised for his handling of the country’s economy in his role as finance minister.

A practicing Roman Catholic, English has been a politician for 26 years, after he was first elected to the parliament in 1990. He had a previous unsuccessful stint as party leader, taking his party to a big election defeat in 2002. He said he’s gained wisdom and experience since then.

“I was 39 years old then, with six children under 13,” he said last week. “So if nothing else, I’ve got the opportunity to focus much more on the job now.”

Under English, New Zealand has been enjoying relatively robust annual GDP growth of more than 3 percent and the unemployment rate has fallen below 5 percent. English has also managed to return small surpluses on the government’s books over the past couple of years.

English said he will deliver tax cuts and spread the country’s growing wealth to where it is needed. </s> Former Prime Minister Bill English has quit as leader of the National Party, bringing his 14-month stint at the party's helm to a close.

Mr English, who has been an MP for 28 years, also quit Parliament.

He twice led the National Party to defeat in an election, and announced he was stepping aside to give his party a chance to regroup from its dramatic fall from parliamentary grace.

On election night, National-ACT held a three-seat edge over their Labour-Greens rivals, but still fell four seats short of a clear majority.

Over the next 26 days, both parties courted the nine seats offered by NZ First, until Winston Peters eventually sided with Labour and the Greens to overturn the three-term National government and end Mr English's short 10-month stint as New Zealand's 39th Prime Minister.

"We will be by far the strongest opposition party this Parliament has seen because nearly one in two New Zealanders supported us," he said afterwards.

"And for a party going into opposition, we're in the best shape you've ever seen - there's talent, energy, a group of people who were geared up to be the government."

While gracious in defeat, Mr English signalled his own future as leader would be up for discussion in coming weeks.

Through his eight years as Deputy Prime Minister, Mr English fashioned a formidable combination with Sir John Key and loomed as the logical successor when his boss resigned last December.

Less than five months ago, he seemed a hot favourite to retain the Prime Minister role, with National polling 20 points clear of Labour.

Significantly, though, a Labour-Greens-NZ First coalition would still have held sway - and after newcomer Jacinda Ardern was promoted to Labour leader on August 1, she swung and maintained just enough momentum to snatch power.

Newshub. </s> WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Bill English was sworn in Monday as New Zealand’s 39th prime minister after John Key resigned. Here’s a glance a English’s life:

Born Dec. 30, 1961 (aged 54). Simon William “Bill” English was raised on a farm near Dipton, which has population of about 150, on the South Island.

Completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree at the University of Otago, and a Bachelor of Arts degree, with honors, in English literature at Victoria University of Wellington.

Married to Dr. Mary English, a general practitioner. They have six adult children.

Says his Catholic faith is an influence but doesn’t define him. Opposes abortion and euthanasia. Voted against same-sex marriage but says he now supports it.

First elected to the Parliament in 1990 as the member for the Wallace electorate, later renamed Clutha-Southland.

Leader of the National Party from October 2001 to October 2003. Led the party to its worst-ever defeat in the 2002 election.

Became finance minister and deputy prime minister in 2008, when Key became prime minister.

Has pledged to use budget surpluses to cut taxes, spend more on infrastructure and pay down government debt.

Says he’s not bound by Key’s pledge to keep the age at which people can receive a government pension at 65. Some people say the age should be raised to reflect an aging population which is working longer.

Says he supports the British monarchy and has no timetable for New Zealand to become a republic. Says any constitutional change would need to be driven by the people.
Bill English is elected as the leader of the New Zealand National Party and is now the country's Prime Minister. Paula Bennett is elected as English's deputy.