How did the party that won the most vote lose it’s leader so soon. Surely he had a mandate, surely he had support. Why did it happen?

It begs the question whether the National Party has lost its way.

And, of course, the big question is who is next.

But I want to take this moment to congratulate Bill English for his service. There is no shame in today’s developments. 

He has been the 2IC impeccably. As the second most important person in government for nine years he steered the economy as well as anyone could hope for. His has had a very competent political career.

As a former Treasury official, as a man who spent 27 years in parliament, as a Minister of Finance, and as Prime Minister, his CV is fantastic and there will be no end of governance jobs offered to him as he begins his third age, where he will spend his time pursuing his own personal goals, and spending time with his familiy.

Who he thanked, and in that thanking of his family, he was close to tears. Politician's families make enormous sacrifices, and it is fair to say that Bill English's family has been supremely supportive.

Again, I’d like to thank Bill English, I'd like to thank Bill English's family, for his service to this nation. He has done extremely well, and I think we all wish him well.

It now lies to the National Party to demonstrate that they also have a vision for the future.  Because a misstep here just as we saw from the Labour Party a decade ago could result in a long time in opposition.

I'll take you back 10 years ago to when Helen Clark resigned on the election night, taking everyone by surprise. 

Back then we felt that leaders stayed in the position a long time, but Clark resigned on election night. She lost, she resigned, bang.

I think what happened then for the Labour Party is a lesson for the National Party.

They put in Goff, the sure hand, but he proved to be yesterday's man.

They went for Shearer, the underdone and the underprepared. He had promise, but it was too soon.

They put in Cunliffe, the mongrel, at the same time too philosophically driven, too red, too angry. 

Andrew Little, again, the angry man.

Until they finally found Jacinda Ardern, the new hope. The person who took the philosophy that the Labour Party believed in and made it aspirational as opposed to being an oppositional leader always against the incumbent Government. 

My feeling is that the next National Party Prime Minister will be found further down the list. Think about the names that we already have. The list is 75 people long. Who there could be the next National Party Prime Minister, because, at the end of the day, that's the game that all politicians play.