By HELEN TUNNAH and NZPA
Bitter recriminations were beginning in the National Party last night as it became clear that if everyone who said they had voted for Bill English had actually done so, he would still be leader.
Mr English, dumped on Tuesday for former Reserve Bank Governor and novice
MP Don Brash, is thought to have lost the count narrowly, 14 votes to 12.
His camp started the day thinking he would remain leader with rock-solid support from 16 MPs, and had the prospect of picking up one or two more votes.
That means at least four MPs switched sides at the last minute, or that Mr English's numbers team had misinterpreted their intentions.
One of the most serious claims yesterday was that senior whip John Carter had voted for Dr Brash, when convention means anyone in his role is obliged to be loyal to the leader or resign the job.
He was also closely involved in the English camp's efforts over the weekend to secure support after Dr Brash declared his challenge on Saturday
Mr Carter, clearly upset by the rumours, told the Herald he had absolutely backed Mr English.
"Whips remain loyal to leaders right to the last, and that's the beginning and the end of it.
"I stayed with Bolger right to the end, with Shipley to the end and with English to the end."
Asked if the "end" meant he had voted for Mr English, Mr Carter said he had.
Two other MPs, Lynda Scott and Sandra Goudie, have also publicly said they voted for Mr English.
He would have picked up four other votes from the so-called Brat Pack, comprising himself, former deputy leader Roger Sowry, new deputy Nick Smith and Tony Ryall.
A further three Auckland MPs, Clem Simich, Pansy Wong and Wayne Mapp, are thought to have stayed in the English camp.
But that leaves only two more votes for Mr English, with junior whip Lindsay Tisch, and MPs Gerry Brownlee, Murray McCully, Simon Power and Shane Ardern, to accommodate. None of the five, like almost all the other MPs, have said which way they voted.
Mr Brownlee was yesterday quiet on the party's deputy's job. He had been considered the most obvious candidate for the post, but in the end withdrew before the vote. Nick Smith headed off Dr Scott and Mr Mapp for the job.
Mr Brownlee said Dr Smith would be a good complement to Dr Brash.
Mr English is expected to head home to Dipton in Southland for a few days to decide his future and he told the Southland Times he had made no decision on his future in politics.
He said he did not know the vote tally.
"Politics is a capricious business. MPs are under enormous pressure over these decisions.
"I've been very proud to have been the ... party leader."
He said the challenge had been bewildering for his six children. "It's all a bit of a puzzle to them really."
By HELEN TUNNAH and NZPA
Bitter recriminations were beginning in the National Party last night as it became clear that if everyone who said they had voted for Bill English had actually done so, he would still be leader.
Mr English, dumped on Tuesday for former Reserve Bank Governor and novice
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