12.05pm: Rounding up Bill English's resignation as leader of the National Party:
- he will also leave Parliament entirely at the end of the month, February 27.
The Jacinda-effect claims another victim with Mr English deciding he’s not the man to lead National forward.
- Mr English says he will not be endorsing a successor as leader, but will just have a single vote.
12.02pm: Mr English has ended his press conference and Deputy National leader Paula Bennett gives a short tribute to Mr English saying "today is tinged with saddness" and that people should appreciate the "depth" of his political thinking.
1 NEWS Political Editor Corin Dann runs the ruler over National’s potential new leaders.
"We're going to miss him, and miss him a lot," Ms Bennett said.
"I don't think New Zealand will ever appreciate the depth of his thinking."
She would not answer questions if she was planning to run for leader.
11.58am: Mr English says much has changed during his three decades in politics - in particular the speed of the modern news cycle.
11.53am: "I'm not a great believer in legacies," Mr English says of his long spell in politics.
11.53am: Mr English says he wants a "life outside politics", both personally and in business. He also wishes to spend more time with his wife Mary and their children.
11.51am: "Serving as Prime Minister is certainly the highlight, no doubt about that," Mr English says.
"My view about what you do in politics is that you need to be satisfied yourself about what you do."
11.49am: Jacinda Ardern has responded on Twitter to news of Bill English's resignation:
11.47am: Mr English says there's been more "ups and downs" during his political career than most.
The Jacinda-effect claims another victim with Mr English deciding he’s not the man to lead National forward.
11.45am: Mr English said he is not endorsing a candidate for the National leadership, and will just have a vote. Joking, he says he will enjoy his colleagues coming to him to ask for his vote.
11.43am: The decision was "personal" Mr English said, and came to him over the summer break as he spent time with his family with no political ambitions in particular on his mind - an unusual experience for him.
11.41am: Mr English chokes up towards the end of his statement as he reflects on the sacrifice of his family and wife for his political career.
11.38am: "I believe this will give National’s new leader the time and best possibly opportunity to prepare the party for the 2020 election," Mr English said, reading from his statement.
Mr English said being leader had been a "huge privilege".
11.35am: Mr English said he will also be leaving Parliament.
11.30am: Bill English has this morning stepped down as leader of the National Party, just three months after the loss of the 2017 general election.
Mr English made the announcement just before midday today, after holding a press conference in the Parliament Buildings in Wellington.
Mr English spent 14 months as the National leader, taking over from John Key as the 39th Prime Minister of New Zealand.
11.20am: National leader Bill English is holding an unscheduled press conference which 1 NEWS understands will be to discuss his leadership of the National Party.
It comes after the National caucus held a weekend retreat in Tauranga to discuss the direction of the party, and Mr English's leadership.
On the last day of January this year, a story broke with unnamed MPs questioning Mr English's leadership and calling for change.
A major source of concern was the performance and personality of deputy leader Paula Bennett and Mr English's antagonistic relationship with Winston Peters, whom he'd pushed to the brink, making it all-but impossible to form a Coalition government.
Nikki Kaye, Amy Adams, Simon Bridges and Judith Collins would be among the leading candidates to take over from Mr English as National's leader.
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