By AUDREY YOUNG
Bill English is likely to win a three-way contest to become National's deputy leader next week after Wyatt Creech announces today he will step down.
And party leader Jenny Shipley will announce a reshuffle of responsibilities this afternoon, involving education, health, environment, police and transport.
Junior whip Gerry Brownlee will be the biggest winner of the reshuffle.
The Ilam MP elected just four years ago will be promoted to the front bench and given the huge responsibility of education spokesman, pitted against a tough opponent in Trevor Mallard.
Hamilton-based list MP Bob Simcock will also be promoted to the front bench as social services spokesman but very much on probation.
Mr Creech and list MP John Luxton will be moved off the front bench and may well consider retiring next election.
Mr Brownlee will also contest the deputy's job at the start of next week's three-day Napier caucus.
Rodney MP Lockwood Smith still has his name in the hat after hosting a series of dinners to woo support. He has not got a show.
It is believed that shadow leader of the House Roger Sowry would have stood, had Mr English decided not to.
But intense canvassing in the English camp over the past couple of days suggests he has the numbers.
Mr English's advantage comes from the support he has not only from friends but from detractors who believe installing him will minimise repeated speculation about his leadership aspirations.
Mr Brownlee has little to lose from the bid and may be well placed to get the job if Mr English were to become leader later this term.
The Herald understands that Mrs Shipley would prefer Mr English too, to minimise damage, and that she made overtures to him last year to become deputy if Mr Creech stood aside.
He was not keen then, preferring to keep his distance.
But he has since been persuaded by colleagues and friends, including fellow members of the "brat-pack," Mr Sowry, Nick Smith, and Tony Ryall, who were all elected in 1990.
They all holidayed together last week with wives and children at Mr Ryall's Whakatane home.
Mr English stirred up public party spats last year through his reluctance to publicly endorse Mrs Shipley's leadership.
Eventually he did, but not before seriously damaging his reputation in the caucus.
He has been advised by friends that to refuse the deputy job now would do even more damage to his future.
Mr English will keep finance.
Mr Sowry is tipped to get health from Mr Creech.
Nick Smith will lose education and become a "green issues" specialist on the environment and conservation, with an eye to liaising more closely with the Green Party.
Environment had been given to Epsom MP and first-termer Richard Worth, who may now take a more active role in targeting Auckland issues and associate minister Judith Tizard.
The transport spokesmanship was underplayed by Mr Sowry and is likely to go today to an Auckland MP, probably Maungakiekie MP Belinda Vernon.
National plans to target policing issues strongly this year, suggesting that it may move from the hands of backbencher Brian Neeson to a frontbencher. Justice spokesman Tony Ryall would be the most likely contender.
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