election year. In November 2007 Burton resigned from his Cabinet positions during Prime Minister Helen Clark's portfolio renewal. When Labour's party list was written prior to the 2008 general election, he was given a low placing of 39. He then lost his seat in a nationwide swing to the National Party, and due to his place on the list, was not returned to parliament. Burton stood unsuccessfully for Taupo District Mayor in the 2010 local body elections. After Darren Hughes resigned his list seat in 2011, and the next person on the Labour Party list, Judith Tizard, declined to take it up, Burton was entitled to reenter Parliament for the remainder of the term. However, he also declined the offer. Further reading Burton's contribution is a paper entitled: " New Zealand defence: playing our part as a responsible world citizen." Burton's contribution is a paper entitled: "Impact on government: a political perspective." References 1956 births English emigrants to New Zealand Living people Members of the Cabinet of New Zealand New Zealand defence ministers New Zealand Labour Party MPs People from Northampton Members of the New Zealand House of Representatives New Zealand MPs for North Island electorates Unsuccessful candidates in the 2008 New Zealand general election 21st-century New Zealand politicians Justice ministers of New Zealand