NZ POLITICS DAILY: The 20 must-reads on John Key and the leadership of the National Party

John Key is gone. Why? Who will replace him? And what does it all mean?

It’s Keymageddon! The phenomenally successfully National Party Prime Minister has pushed the eject button, and everyone is scrambling to understand what it all means. Here are 20 items of analysis to help understand this quickly changing political situation.

1) Key’s departure is like New Zealand’s Brexit. Massey University political scientist Richard Shaw says “When future generations look back on this year they will refer to it as The Year No-One Saw Anything Coming. Not Brexit, not Trump and now – in our own little antipodean way – not John Key's resignation” – see: The Year No-one Saw Anything Coming.

Shaw doesn’t believe that Key’s endorsement of English will count for that much, but has some other interesting observations about the race for the deputy position. For instance, “Above all, perhaps, in these supposedly populist times they will be looking for someone who is able to connect with voters the way that Key has for so long. Objectively, of course, he shouldn't have been able to do so: Key was no more an ordinary Kiwi bloke than Donald Trump is a natural ally of working people. But that wasn't the point: what he has is a sense of self-deprecation, an ease with others and a finely tuned sense of what matters to people that National would like to bottle. They can't, of course, but what chance a duo between a Westie Chick and a Southern Man?”

2) Key’s departure is sensible and smart, but also selfish. I make this case on the opinion piece, John Key's calculated 'hospital pass' resignation. I argue that Key knew when to sell his political stocks, and could see that a drop in the value was on its way. And for a bonus item with some similar arguments as well as more detail on some of the potential looming dangers for Key, see Colin James’ John Key checks out. The game has suddenly changed.

3) The mystery of John Key’s decision-making over his resignation is slowly being untangled. The best account so far is Tracy Watkins and Vernon Small’s: Key's decision – how it played out. For a bonus view on all the possible reasons Key might have had to depart, see Simon Wilson’s John's gone: The end of NZ's Mr Feelgood.

4) John Key will be missed by many. For a tribute from one of Key’s biggest supporters, see Mike Hosking’s John Key is the best Prime Minister of my lifetime.

5) What will happen now? For the best overall discussion of which politicians will “seize this moment” and shine – English, Collins, Little, Peters, etc – see Tim Watkin’s excellent The call of the centre. He argues, “This is a rare moment where just about anything is possible.”

6) Why was Key so successful? One of the best analyses of his strengths is John Armstrong’s Leadership may be poisoned chalice for John Key's successor. He argues that Key’s success arose out of two factors: “First, he was a great communicator who could charm people on every level… Most of all, he never suffered from one of the worst faults of politicians. He never talked down to anyone”; and “his pragmatism. He was an unrelenting believer that politics was the art of the possible. If it wasn't possible then it didn't happen. Full stop. More than that, he was willing to openly play fast and loose with National's guiding principles if that was required to outflank the party's opponents and capture ground which had traditionally been their stamping ground.”

7) Key’s legacy is uncertain. This is strongly argued in Giovanni Tiso’s excellent article, The man without a legacy. It’s a leftwing account, but one that’s very different from the usual critiques of Key. For an interesting bonus item with some similar themes, see Danyl Mclauchlan’s Reflections on Key.

8) Key’s resignation was perfectly timed. Chris Trotter explains how Key has snookered National’s rightwing faction, and restricted the highly-damaging factional fighting that could have occurred if he had resigned in a different way – see: What a way to go! Some initial thoughts on John Key’s resignation.

9) The rightwing faction of National don’t want Bill English. “The mood for change” has become the slogan of those on the right of the party who don’t want to just continue on a centrist road with English. Patrick Gower reports on those in the party who are keen on candidates like Judith Collins having a more prominent role – see: ‘Huge mood for change in National' – MP.

10) Key doesn’t want Judith Collins as his replacement, but can’t say that. Key’s diplomatic comments on Collins have been reported like this: “Judith Collins "could" have what it took to be prime minister, but "whether she is the right person to be the leader, that's for others to decide". She had a huge number of skills, was a good, decent person and he had supported her as a strong member of his team. He said her public persona could be different to the one behind the scenes” – see: PM's regret: That flag referendum.

11) The right of the party will remember John Key with less enthusiasm than most. For a rightwing critique of Key’s legacy, see Stuff’s John Key savaged by former National leader Don Brash for achieving 'almost nothing of significance'. In this, Key predecessor gives him a rating of only 5 out of 10. For a bonus critique of Key from the right, see Peter Cresswell’s A can-kicking PM.

12) Bill English is likely to be the next PM, with Paula Bennett as his deputy. This is argued today by Rachel Smalley in: National's likely new leaders - English & Bennett. Smalley also looks at the various other candidates – for instance, Judith Collins: “Would she make a good PM? Yes, she would. She's experienced, she's confident, she wants the job. If English wasn't there, I think she'd be the front-runner.” On Amy Adams Smalley says: “Sound. Super smart. A very capable politician, but she's too similar to English. Straight. Proper. Measured. You need a bit of sass in there.” But ultimately English will be PM, and he might surprise us: “I think you'd see quite a bit of movement under English on issues such as child poverty. He gets the economic implications, but I think he gets the social implications of child poverty and inequality as well. I also think he'll raise the retirement age. I've questioned him on that issue time and again - and he tip-toes around it.” And for a bonus analysis of English’s policy inclinations, see Eric Crampton’s Prime Minister English?

13) Key’s economic legacy is mixed, at best. For an account of the PM’s impact on “wealth and incomes”, see Bernard Hickey’s John Key's $400b legacy. For example, Hickey says “Mr Key's legacy is sweetest for property owners, who saw the values of their homes rise NZ$400 billion to almost NZ$1 trillion on his watch”.

14) Key’s departure changes everything. The whole political landscape is changing with the PM’s resignation. Stacey Kirk details what it might mean for the main Opposition party – see: John Key is out – does that give Labour a clearer path into the Beehive? And for a bonus, see what it might mean for New Zealand First as well as the micro-parties of Act, United Future, and the Mana and Maori parties in Carrie Stoddart’s blog post: Gloves off election looming.

15) Key is the only PM to leave office of his own accord. David Farrar lists “how every New Zealand Prime Minister (since Seddon) has left office” in his blog post, Leaving on his terms. He shows how 11 were defeated at elections; 4 died in office; 4 were deposed by their party; 2 were defeated in Parliament; and 2 resigned for ill health. Farrar concludes: “So Key is the only Prime Minister in at least the last 100 years to have retired from the job on his terms, rather than get pushed out in some way.”

16) It’s going to be a strongly contested fight to be the new PM. For the most extensive coverage of this so far, see Audrey Young and Claire Trevett’s The race for Prime Minister gets crowded – It's Bill English, Jonathan Coleman and now Judith Collins. The bonus item is Toby Manhire’s A beginner’s guide to the next prime minister of New Zealand.

17) Disunity is finally erupting in what has been an extremely unified National caucus. Audrey Young details the factions and players in her article, Discontent stirs among National Party caucus after John key's shocking resignation.

18) Jonathan Coleman’s entry into the race for PM will surprise many. To read more on why he’s running, see the Herald’s There's an appetite for change, says PM contender Jonathan Coleman. For a bonus item, see Guyon Espiner’s Listener interview with him from earlier in the year: Minister of Health Jonathan Coleman – interview.

19) Judith Collins’ level of caucus support is hard to measure. But she does have some vocal supporters. For instance, Paul Henry says today that “Judith would get my vote” – see: John Key's resignation fight will be a bloodbath. But Henry warns the contest will be ugly: “Make no mistake – there will be blood on the walls.”

20) John Key was never an easy politician for cartoonists to draw. But for a look at how they’re dealing with his departure, see my blog post, Cartoons about John Key’s resignation.

Today's content

John Key resigns

John Armstrong (TVNZ): Leadership may be poisoned chalice for John Key's successor

Tim Watkin (Pundit): The call of the centre

Richard Shaw (Stuff): The Year No-one Saw Anything Coming

Mike Hosking (Newstalk ZB): John Key is the best Prime Minister of my lifetime

Martin van Beynen (Stuff): John Key inspired confidence

Bryce Edwards (Herald): John Key's calculated 'hospital pass' resignation

Herald: John Key's resignation surprises political scientist

The Spinoff: David Slack, Morgan Godfery, David Seymour, Annabelle Lee and more on John Key’s resignation

Jared Nicoll (Stuff): Key's legacy will be one of popular leadership without significant change, academics say

Giovanni Tiso (Overland): The man without a legacy