By AUDREY YOUNG POLITICAL REPORTER
Bill English has pledged not to challenge Jenny Shipley as National Party leader before the next election as he confirmed his bid for the deputy leadership in a fight with newly promoted frontbencher Gerry Brownlee.
Wyatt Creech received the commitment from Mr English last year and again over the holidays, before deciding to give up the deputy leadership yesterday.
This suggests that had Mr English not given the assurance, Mr Creech would likely have stayed on as deputy before retiring at the next election in 2002.
The vote for deputy will be held next Wednesday at a caucus meeting in Napier.
"Part of the job of a deputy is to support the leadership," Mr English told the Herald yesterday.
"It is not my intention to take the deputy's job with the intention of challenging the leader."
Asked if that meant he would not challenge Mrs Shipley before the 2002 election, he said: "That's right. I don't envisage challenging for the leadership."
In a written statement he said: "Jenny Shipley will lead National into the next election with my full support, whether or not the caucus elects me deputy leader."
Mr Creech told reporters yesterday that he believed the contest for deputy would let the party consider the issue of leadership succession.
"My view is that it will probably be Bill English who will be the logical person to step in."
Mr Creech said the National Party suffered last year because of the leadership speculation.
"The party has to be united in the leadership area if it wants to have a show of winning the election."
Mr English's endorsement of Mrs Shipley yesterday contrasts with his delay last year in backing her as leader, fuelling rumours and winning him no friends in caucus.
He was eventually pressured into issuing a statement of support. But his assurances do not preclude him from taking the helm before the election if Mrs Shipley comes under pressure from colleagues to step aside. However, that is unlikely to happen unless the party slumps in the polls.
The fight for deputy promises to be vigorous. The English camp believes it has enough support. The Brownlee camp says it will be close.
Mr Brownlee last night said the pair had different campaign styles.
"I've made an effort to speak face to face with as many of the caucus as I can and I've got many more to see.
"He's got other people phoning for him, a third party. People don't want someone who's on remote control."
Mrs Shipley would not say yesterday which candidate she preferred, and said she was confident she would lead the party to the next election.
"I've been sick last year. Everybody knew that. I don't think we should overanalyse. As far as I'm concerned, Bill has been in this office many times and he has made clear to me many times, and continues to do so, what his intentions and motives are. I respect that.
"I don't feel under threat. Remember how good I was at counting when I managed both a Coalition and minority Government.
"There ain't an issue of numbers here, folks."
Mrs Shipley said she had spoken to former National leader Jim McLay during the holidays. He had told her there had not been an opposition leader in history who had not been subject to leadership speculation.
English: Shipley safe with me
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