John awaits keys to nation

The boy from a state house who would be king looked like he had done it last night.

The 47-year-old John Key is close to fulfilling a lifelong ambition to become prime minister of New Zealand _ just six years after turning his back on a lucrative investment banking career and returning home.

His timing was perfect and it was in Key's slipstream that many candidates rode to victory.

While Labour flicked and splattered as much mud in his direction as they could, not much attached itself to the man his opponents tried to label "Slippery John".

But with Labour breathing down his neck, Key will have little room to slip up. He has had a dream run so far. MP Murray McCully says that's because "he's very bloody good. This guy is really smart."

Certainly Key's past seems squeaky clean, almost too clean. His worst admitted offence is driving on a carless day 28 years ago. He claims he's never inhaled _ not even a cigarette _ and has the luxury of being able to give away much of his six-figure ministerial salary.

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