Bill English
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- This article is about the New Zealand politician. For the computer engineer, see Bill English (computer engineer).
| Image:BillEnglish.jpg | |||
| Parl. | Electorate | List Pos. | Party |
| 43rd | Wallace | n/a | National |
| 44th | Wallace | n/a | National |
| 45th | Clutha-Southland | 9 | National |
| 46th | Clutha-Southland | 4 | National |
| 47th | Clutha-Southland | 1 | National |
| 48th | Clutha-Southland | 2 | National |
Simon William "Bill" English is a New Zealand politician, and former leader of the National Party from October 2001 to October 2003. On November 27, 2006, he became deputy leader under John Key. English also served as the New Zealand Minister of Finance.
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[edit] Early life
English was born in 1961 in the rural Southland town of Dipton. He attended High school at St. Patrick's College, Silverstream in Wellington, boarding there. He was Head Boy of the College. During his education he gained degrees in commerce and English literature at the Otago University and Victoria University of Wellington, respectively. After completing his studies, he returned to Dipton to work as a farmer. In 1987, he returned to Wellington, working as a policy analyst in the New Zealand Treasury. He spent two years doing this before returning to Dipton.
He married a Catholic GP, Mary, and they now have six children - five boys: Luke, Thomas, Rory, Bartholemew and Xavier; and one daughter, Maria.
[edit] National Party involvement
English had joined the National Party in 1980, and had served in administrative capacities for party branches both in Southland and in Wellington. In 1990 he stood as the National candidate in Wallace, the Southland electorate that encompassed Dipton, and won. He has been reelected from this electorate, now known as Clutha-Southland, at every election since then.
At the beginning of 1996, English became a member of the Cabinet and gained responsibility for Crown Health Enterprises (healthcare providers created by the National Party's reforms of the public health service, which sought to create an internal competitive market). He also became Associate Minister of Education. After the elections later that year, however, Prime Minister Jim Bolger reshuffled his Cabinet, and English emerged as full Minister of Health.
After the coalition between National and the smaller New Zealand First party collapsed, the position of Treasurer (senior to that of Finance Minister and created especially for New Zealand First leader Winston Peters) became vacant. The former Finance Minister, Bill Birch, gained promotion to the position Peters had vacated, leaving the Minister of Finance portfolio free. English took up this role. Later that year, Birch and English swapped positions, with English becoming Treasurer and Birch becoming Minister of Finance again.
After the National Party lost the 1999 elections to Helen Clark's Labour Party English remained as National's spokesperson for financial matters.
[edit] National Party leadership
In October 2001, dissatisfaction with party leader Jenny Shipley had failed to abate, and English secured the backing of a majority of National Party MPs. English replaced Shipley as head of the National Party and as Leader of the Opposition.
However, English failed to improve the party's performance. In the 2002 elections, National suffered its worst electoral defeat ever, gaining barely more than twenty percent of the vote. Both party insiders and the general public were split as to how much to blame English for this loss, but most of the party believed that English would be able to rebuild National's support.
By late 2003, however, National's performance in opinion polls remained poor. The party had briefly increased its popularity in the year following the election, but by October its support had fallen to levels only slightly better than what it achieved in the last ballot. English also appeared in a boxing match for a charity against entertainer Ted Clarke. This "stunt" did not boost his polling or that of the National party either, with suggestions that it devalued his image as a serious politician. Don Brash, former governor of the Reserve Bank and a relative newcomer to politics, began to build up support to replace English. While Brash lacked overwhelming popularity, the electorate perceived English as highly ineffectual and prone to embarrassing mistakes. On 28 October, Brash gained sufficient backing in Caucus to replace English as leader.
[edit] Prior Status: Shadow Education Spokesperson (2003-06)
On 2 November 2003, when Brash announced changes in responsibilities for certain MPs, English became National's spokesperson for education, ranked at fifth place in the party's parliamentary hierarchy. He remained in parliament after the 2005 election. In his new shadow education portfolio, English has performed strongly, and has remained a party favourite despite his election defeat as leader in 2002. While English has also been touted as a potential replacement in the wake of the resignation of Opposition leader Don Brash on November 23, 2006, only Brash and National's finance spokesman John Key feature in current Preferred Prime Minister opinion polling. However, English might well secure the education portfolio in any future centre-right New Zealand government.
[edit] Deputy Leader: November 2006-
After the resignation of Don Brash, English aspired to Deputy Leader Gerry Brownlee's deputy leadership [1]. On November 26 Brownlee announced that he was stepping aside and English was predicted to take over the deputy leadership and also the finance portfolio. This was confirmed the next day following a caucus meeting.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- billenglish.co.nz Official Site
[edit] Political offices
| Preceded by: Derek Angus |
Member of Parliament for Wallace 1990 – 1996 |
Succeeded by: abolished |
| Preceded by: (constituency created) |
Member of Parliament for Clutha-Southland 1996 – present |
Succeeded by: incumbent |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by: Jenny Shipley |
Leader of the Opposition 2001 – 2003 |
Succeeded by: Dr Don Brash |
| Preceded by: Jenny Shipley |
Leader of the New Zealand National Party 2001 – 2003 |
Succeeded by: Dr Don Brash |
| Preceded by: Gerry Brownlee |
Deputy Leader of the New Zealand National Party 2006 – present |
Succeeded by: incumbent |
