Deputy vote also to occur

Stuff reports:

National’s leadership race could be a clean sweep after it announced a vote on deputy Paula Bennett’s job.

Bennett did not stand aside at the time National leader Bill English announced his decision to retire from politics and has said she wants to continue as deputy.

But the National caucus today confirmed there would be a vote next week after a new leader is chosen.

This is totally usual, to have a vote on the deputy leadership along with a vote on the leadership. In fact you often have the whips positions also go up for a vote after a change of leader too.

On her way into caucus Tuesday morning Bennett reiterated that she would like to be deputy under the next leader and indicated she would be happy to serve with whoever was elected.

National’s senior Whip Jami-Lee Ross said Bennett approached him last week, to say it was likely the best thing for the party if there was a fresh vote.

“MPs will self-nominate, they’ll speak to the caucus and then the MPs will vote,” he said.

So Paula is a candidate, and at this stage the only candidate.