2020 election: Gerry Brownlee resigns as deputy leader of the National Party

Senior National Rep. Gerry Brownlee will not contest the party’s deputy leadership when the party votes on the issue next Tuesday.

Brownlee, who lost her long-time Ilam seat in the election, said her focus would be to rebuild National’s base in Christchurch and represent voters there.

It comes just an hour after special votes show National lost two deputies and now has a caucus of 33.

The specials also show that Northland, Whangārei and Maungakiekie, all held by National, were traded for Labor.

Brownlee said she took on the role of deputy leader in July to “support Judith as our leader.”

Judith Collins has said it was the “hospital pass from hell.”

But Brownlee said this afternoon that he had a strong opinion that Collins ran extremely well in what was an unprecedented election.

“While I was proud to intervene at the time, and continue to be, I have always believed that influence is more important than position when it comes to politics,” he said.

“It’s time to think about the next three years. I want Judith to have the strongest and most complementary support by her side as a leader.”

Meanwhile, he said New Zealand faces tough times ahead.

“For some time, the coronavirus and the consequences of responding to it, along with the importance of keeping its effects away from our shores, will be the dominant activities for both the Government and the Opposition.”

All the focus will now be on who will raise their hand for the understudy role.

Under National’s constitution, there needs to be a leadership vote shortly after the election.
Collins is expected to remain the leader.

But Brownlee’s plans were always confusing and he had been reluctant to say whether he planned to stay.

Names that have been mentioned as possible MPs include Shane Reti.

But today he took a hit, and special votes showed that he lost his seat in Whangārei.
As his position on the list is high enough, however, he is still a deputy.