ferred ▁Prime ▁Minister " ▁pol ls . ▁Key ▁made ▁no ▁move ▁public ly , ▁but ▁Br ash ' s ▁reputation ▁for ▁hon esty ▁and ▁political ▁compet ence ▁er oded ▁when , ▁for ▁example , ▁broadcast ▁foot age ▁showed ▁him ▁walking ▁a ▁pl ank , ▁and ▁when ▁alleg ations ▁appeared ▁of ▁his ▁having ▁an ▁affair ▁with ▁an ▁A uck land ▁business w oman , ▁D iane ▁For eman ▁– ▁a ▁charge ▁he ▁has ▁never ▁denied . ▁Despite ▁these ▁set back s , ▁when ▁asked ▁by ▁an ▁inter v iewer ▁for ▁an ▁article ▁published ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom ▁on ▁ 1 8 ▁November ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁if ▁he ▁planned ▁to ▁remain ▁leader ▁of ▁his ▁party , ▁"... the ▁Clark ▁Kent ▁of ▁Ki wi ▁politics ▁[ Br ash ] ▁turned ▁to ▁me ▁and ▁smiled ▁g ently . ▁' That ' s ▁my ▁intention ,' ..." ▁ ▁Res ignation ▁▁ ▁During ▁a ▁hast ily ▁called ▁press - con ference ▁on ▁Th urs day ▁ 2 3 ▁November ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁Br ash ▁announced ▁his ▁res ignation ▁as ▁the ▁National ▁Party ▁leader , ▁effective ▁from ▁ 2 7 ▁November . ▁Spe cul ation ▁regarding ▁his ▁leadership ▁had ▁for esh adow ed ▁this ▁move , ▁and ▁the ▁public ity ▁had ▁had ▁a ▁negative ▁effect ▁on ▁his ▁political ▁party . ▁The ▁public ity ▁came ▁to ▁a ▁head ▁just ▁before ▁the ▁scheduled ▁publication ▁of ▁a ▁book ▁written ▁by ▁Nick y ▁H ager ▁containing ▁le aked ▁emails ▁( am ong st ▁other ▁alleg edly ▁dam aging ▁revel