Treasurer Bill English is distancing himself from a campaign to replace Prime Minister Jenny Shipley before this year’s
election.
But Mr English is not ruling out a push for caucus support for the National leadership in the future.
Leaflets were handed out yesterday to delegates at National’s annual conference in Wellington. The message was that
National needs Bill English at the helm if it is to win at November’s General Election.
The leaflets note Mrs Shipley’s poor handling of the Tourism Board, the Fire Service, and the Hawkesby fiasco as reasons
why she should be replaced by Mr English.
The leaflets, reportedly, have caused embarrassment to Mr English and he says he has no idea who is behind them. Mr
English points out that Mrs Shipley has the party’s support and that he intends to remain in the Treasurer’s job for
some time to come.