National's deputy leader and the country's likely next finance minister, Nicola Willis, has revealed she's "not in the race" to be deputy prime minister.
With coalition talks between National, ACT and New Zealand First now down to ministerial allocations, the question of who Christopher Luxon's 2IC will be is floating around.
Yesterday, ACT leader David Seymour said he would expect the second-biggest party in the coalition to take that spot.
Today, in a sign that coalition negotiations are in the final stages, senior National MPs Nicola Willis and Chris Bishop made their way back to Wellington.
Who will Christopher Luxon and the National Party offer the deputy premiership to? Tried-and-tested Winston Peters? Or new blood David Seymour? (Source: 1News)
Willis was asked at Parliament if she was going to be the new deputy PM.
"To be honest, I'm not in the race," she said, before praising her coalition partners' leadership skills.
"David [Seymour] and Winston [Peters] will do a great job," she said.
When asked to clarify what she meant, Willis said: "I've said it again, and again, and again: I'm not interested in roles and titles.
"I'm interested in the role of governing, and David and Winston will do a great job as deputy prime minister," she said.
"I've really enjoyed getting to know both of them over the last few weeks during negotiations, they're both great men."
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