▁the ▁party ▁list ▁assured ▁him ▁of ▁a ▁seat ▁in ▁Parliament . ▁ ▁Br ash ▁immediately ▁joined ▁National ' s ▁front ▁ben ch ▁as ▁its ▁sp okes man ▁on ▁fin ance . ▁This ▁placed ▁him ▁opposite ▁the ▁Labour ▁Party ' s ▁Michael ▁C ull en , ▁the ▁Minister ▁of ▁Fin ance ▁and ▁Deput y ▁Prime ▁Minister . ▁Comment ators ▁generally ▁pra ised ▁Br ash ▁for ▁his ▁knowledge ▁of ▁econom ics , ▁but ▁expressed ▁criticism ▁of ▁his ▁in ex per ience ▁in ▁terms ▁of ▁political ▁leadership . ▁ ▁In ▁October ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁Br ash ▁public ly ▁challeng ed ▁Bill ▁English ▁for ▁the ▁position ▁of ▁Parliament ary ▁Le ader ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁Party . ▁English ▁had ▁gradually ▁lost ▁support ▁within ▁the ▁party , ▁but ▁Br ash ' s ▁victory ▁in ▁any ▁leadership - cont est ▁against ▁English ▁seemed ▁by ▁no ▁means ▁guaranteed . ▁Br ash ' s ▁decision ▁to ▁make ▁his ▁challenge ▁public ▁caused ▁some ▁criticism , ▁with ▁some ▁party ▁supp or ters ▁perce iving ▁that ▁an ▁open ▁leadership ▁dispute ▁could ▁damage ▁the ▁party ' s ▁image . ▁However , ▁by ▁breaking ▁with ▁the ▁tradition ▁of ▁operating ▁secret ly , ▁Br ash ▁calculated ▁that ▁people ▁would ▁see ▁him ▁as ▁an ▁honest ▁" anti - polit ician " ▁– ▁a ▁notion ▁central ▁to ▁his ▁personal ▁brand . ▁ ▁Le ader ▁of ▁the ▁O pp osition ▁ ▁Br ash ▁won ▁a ▁c au cus ▁vote ▁on ▁ 2 8 ▁October ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁making ▁him ▁Le ader ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁Party