Bill English sworn in as PM after Key exit

 New Zealand’s socially conservative finance chief Bill English was sworn in as the country’s new prime minister on Monday following last week’s shock resignation of his popular predecessor John Key. The centre-right National Party caucus unanimously backed English at a meeting on Monday morning and he travelled to Government House in Wellington a few hours […]

 New Zealand’s socially conservative finance chief Bill English was sworn in as the country’s new prime minister on Monday following last week’s shock resignation of his popular predecessor John Key.

The centre-right National Party caucus unanimously backed English at a meeting on Monday morning and he travelled to Government House in Wellington a few hours later to officially take over. State Services Minister Paula Bennett was named as deputy leader.

English, 54, said he was “excited and humbled” to take the top job after eight years as Key’s deputy and finance minister.

“This will be a government supporting economic growth and ensuring that the benefits of growth are widely shared,” he told reporters.