Bill English

The Right Honourable Sir Bill English KNZM
English in 2017
39th Prime Minister of New Zealand
In office 12 December 2016 – 26 October 2017
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Governor-General	Patsy Reddy
Deputy	Paula Bennett
Preceded by	John Key
Succeeded by	Jacinda Ardern
29th Leader of the Opposition
In office 26 October 2017 – 27 February 2018
Prime Minister	Jacinda Ardern
Deputy	Paula Bennett
Preceded by	Jacinda Ardern
Succeeded by	Simon Bridges
In office 8 October 2001 – 28 October 2003
Prime Minister	Helen Clark
Deputy	Roger Sowry
Preceded by	Jenny Shipley
Succeeded by	Don Brash
9th Leader of the National Party
In office 12 December 2016 – 27 February 2018
Deputy	Paula Bennett
Preceded by	John Key
Succeeded by	Simon Bridges
In office 8 October 2001 – 28 October 2003
Deputy	Roger Sowry
Preceded by	Jenny Shipley
Succeeded by	Don Brash
17th Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand
In office 19 November 2008 – 12 December 2016
Prime Minister	John Key
Preceded by	Michael Cullen
Succeeded by	Paula Bennett
39th Minister of Finance
In office 19 November 2008 – 12 December 2016
Prime Minister	John Key
Preceded by	Michael Cullen
Succeeded by	Steven Joyce
In office 31 January 1999 – 22 June 1999
Prime Minister	Jenny Shipley
Preceded by	Bill Birch
Succeeded by	Bill Birch
Deputy Leader of the National Party
In office 27 November 2006 – 12 December 2016
Leader	John Key
Preceded by	Gerry Brownlee
Succeeded by	Paula Bennett
In office 7 February 2001 – 6 October 2001
Leader	Jenny Shipley
Preceded by	Wyatt Creech
Succeeded by	Roger Sowry
3rd Treasurer of New Zealand
In office 22 June 1999 – 10 December 1999
Prime Minister	Jenny Shipley
Preceded by	Bill Birch
Succeeded by	Michael Cullen
Constituency Member of the New Zealand Parliament for National Party List In office 20 September 2014 – 13 March 2018 Succeeded by Maureen Pugh Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Clutha-Southland In office 12 October 1996 – 20 September 2014 Preceded by New electorate Succeeded by Todd Barclay Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Wallace In office 27 October 1990 – 12 October 1996 Preceded by Derek Angus Succeeded by Electorate abolished
Personal details
Born	Simon William English (1961-12-30) 30 December 1961 (age 62) Lumsden, New Zealand
Political party	National
Spouse	Mary Scanlon
Relations	Rachel Buchanan (niece)
Children	6
Parent(s)	Mervyn English Norah O'Brien
Alma mater	University of Otago Victoria University
Signature
Website	Official website

Sir Simon William English KNZM (born 30 December 1961) is a New Zealand former politician who served as the 39th prime minister of New Zealand from 2016 to 2017 and leader of the National Party from 2001 to 2003 and 2016 to 2018. He had previously served as the 17th deputy prime minister of New Zealand and minister of finance from 2008 to 2016 under John Key and the Fifth National Government.

A farmer and public servant before entering politics, English was elected to the New Zealand Parliament in 1990 as the National Party's candidate in the Wallace electorate. He was elevated to Cabinet in 1996 and in 1999 was made minister of finance, although he served for less than a year due to his party's loss at the 1999 general election. In October 2001, English replaced Jenny Shipley as the leader of the National Party (and consequently as Leader of the Opposition). He led the party to its worst defeat at the 2002 general election, and as a consequence, in October 2003 he was replaced as leader by Don Brash.

In November 2006, after Brash's resignation, English became deputy leader under John Key. After National's victory at the 2008 general election, he became deputy prime minister and was also made minister of finance for the second time. Under English's direction New Zealand's economy maintained steady growth during National's three terms of government. He became a list-only MP after stepping down as an electorate MP at the 2014 general election.

John Key resigned as leader of the National Party and prime minister in December 2016. English won the resulting leadership election unopposed and was sworn in as prime minister on 12 December 2016. His tenure was only ten months, and included a three-month election campaign. In the 2017 general election, National won the largest number of seats but fell short of a majority. The parties holding the balance of power declined to support the existing government, and English was subsequently replaced as prime minister by Jacinda Ardern, leader of the Labour Party. English initially continued on as Leader of the Opposition, but resigned as leader of the National Party on 27 February 2018 and left parliament two weeks later.^[1]