Simon Bridges

Simon Joseph Bridges (born October 1976) is a New Zealand politician and lawyer. He was the Leader of the New Zealand National Party and Leader of the Opposition from 27 February 2018 to 22 May 2020.^[1][2] He was the Member of Parliament for Tauranga from 2008 until 2022.^[3]

The Honourable Simon Bridges MP
37th Leader of the Opposition
In office 27 February 2018 – 22 May 2020
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Prime Minister	Jacinda Ardern Winston Peters (Acting)
Deputy	Paula Bennett
Preceded by	Bill English
Succeeded by	Todd Muller
12th Leader of the National Party
In office 27 February 2018 – 22 May 2020
Deputy	Paula Bennett
Preceded by	Bill English
Succeeded by	Todd Muller
10th Leader of the House
In office 2 May 2017 – 26 October 2017
Prime Minister	Bill English
Deputy	Michael Woodhouse
Preceded by	Gerry Brownlee
Succeeded by	Chris Hipkins
Minister of Economic Development
In office 20 December 2016 – 26 October 2017
Prime Minister	Bill English
Preceded by	Steven Joyce
Succeeded by	David Parker
26th Minister of Transport
In office 6 October 2014 – 26 October 2017
Prime Minister	John Key Bill English
Preceded by	Gerry Brownlee
Succeeded by	Phil Twyford
Minister for Communications
In office 20 December 2016 – 26 October 2017
Prime Minister	Bill English
Preceded by	Amy Adams
Succeeded by	Clare Curran (Communications and Digital Media)
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Tauranga
In office 8 December 2008 – 6 May 2022
Preceded by	Bob Clarkson
Majority	11,742 (31.69%)
Personal details
Born	Simon Joseph Bridges October 1976 (age 48) Auckland, New Zealand
Political party	National
Spouse(s)	Natalie Bridges
Relations	Simon O'Connor (brother-in-law)
Education	University of Auckland (BA, LLB) London School of Economics St Catherine's College, Oxford (BCL)
Website	Official website

Bridges has served in several Cabinet portfolios, including Minister of Transport (2014–2017), Minister of Economic Development (2016–2017) and Leader of the House (2017).

He is the first person with Māori ancestry to serve as leader of the National Party, and the first to lead a major party in New Zealand.

On 22 May 2020, following poor polling for the party, Bridges was challenged for the party leadership and replaced by Todd Muller. He would go onto retiring from the leadership of the party less than two months later.^[4][5]

On 24 November 2021, Bridges was removed from the shadow cabinet of Judith Collins, because of a rude comment he made to fellow MP Jacqui Dean in 2016. After removing Bridges from her shadow cabinet, a motion of no confidence was passed against Collins and removed her as party leader. Bridges ran to replace her as party leader, but withdrew on the day of the vote and supported the eventual winner Christopher Luxon.

Bridges announced his retirement from politics in March 2022 and resigned as MP two months later in May.^[6]