Ousted leader heads home to family

By RUTH BERRY, political reporter

Around three o'clock yesterday afternoon a devastated Bill English walked out of the National Party leader's office and down Parliament's steps, desperate for the solace of his family.

With brother Connor and his partner trailing behind, the deposed leader strode briskly across the near-empty forecourt, in an effort to get past a gaggle of media.

Making his escape, dressed in a white shirt and carrying nothing but a small black bag, he cut a lonely figure.

Bored anti-GM protesters huddled on the grass delivered the final ignominy. "Loser, loser, loser" they chanted.

Maintaining his composure still, the politician merely waved.

But as he mounted another set of steps taking him off the forecourt, the strain of the day's events caught up with him and despite and because of the cameras he began to run towards the street.

Hours earlier, before heading into caucus, Mr English had been so confident of victory that his staff had had to encourage him to come up with a Plan B, just as a precaution.

Connor English said yesterday he understood his brother "had about 20 pledges of support this morning".

Mr English's close supporters confirm they were confident he had the numbers, so much so they celebrated with a late-night drink at the Backbencher pub across the road from Parliament on Monday.

Ironically the group known as the Bratpack are likely then to also have been marking the day of their 13-year anniversary in Parliament as well.

Mr English, Roger Sowry, Nick Smith and Tony Ryall, who entered Parliament in 1990, are so close they all holiday together with their families every Christmas.

They have had a rough time since a reluctant Mr English was pushed - he wanted to wait until after the election - into toppling Jenny Shipley two years ago this month and sparked resentment by installing Mr Sowry as his deputy without giving caucus a vote. Both are decisions the Bratpack is likely now to be regretting.

Mr English was unable to turn around National's ill-fortunes before last year's election and the thoughtful farmer from Dipton with a BA (Hons first class) in English literature was reduced to tears when the party took just 21 per cent of the vote.

Over a year on, low poll ratings finally sparked rebellion in the ranks.

But the Bratpack believed the pledges, gained through their decision to sacrifice the sometimes unpopular Mr Sowry and promises of other changes in the way the caucus was run, would save Mr English.

Mr English, who spent last night with wife Mary, their six children and extended family members in their Ngaio home, was gracious in defeat yesterday, promising to support Dr Brash.

In stressing the need for unity, he allowed himself to hint only at the trials of the past year when he noted "I know what it's like when some of the caucus is not behind you".

It was only when thanking his staff - as plans were being made to pack up his office and after he had already been removed as leader from the party's website - that he struggled with his emotions.

Privately, supporters say he will be gutted by what he sees as the pledge betrayals.

Fellow Bratpackers believe Mr English was shafted. "He hasn't been treated fairly at all. He took the party through the dark times and through a rebuilding exercise," Mr Sowry says.

The shrewd appointment of Dr Smith helps to rule out rearguard action from the Bratpack. But does it mean Dr Brash has successfully split them up?

Not at all, they say ... it is the party's interests they are working for.

Mr English - the man his supporters say would have made a great Prime Minister had the party had the nerve to stick with him - is taking a few days off to consider his future.

He refused Mrs Shipley's request to be rehabilitated closer to the front bench some months after she lost the leadership.

Whether the ambitious Southlander, with plenty of time to relaunch another career, would want to be treated differently or prefer to stay around is yet to be seen.


HOW THE VOTES MAY HAVE FALLEN

Brash camp

Don Brash, list

Lockwood Smith, Rodney

David Carter, list

Georgina te Heuheu, list

Katherine Rich, list

Richard Worth, Epsom

Judith Collins, Clevedon

Paul Hutchison,Port Waikato

John Carter, Northland

Phil Heatley, Whangarei

John Key, Helensville

Gerry Brownlee, Illam

Simon Power,

Rangitikei

Murray McCully, East Coast Bays


English camp

Bill English, Clutha-Southland

Roger Sowry, list

Nick Smith, Nelson

Tony Ryall, Bay of Plenty

Lynda Scott, Kaikoura

Wayne Mapp, North Shore

Clem Simich, Tamaki

Pansy Wong, list

Brian Connell, Rakaia

Sandra Goudie, Coromandel

Lindsay Tisch, Karapiro

Shane Ardern, Taranaki-King Country