Political commentator Matthew Hooton has poured a bucked of cold water on suggestions that new Prime Minister Bill English is pursuing renewal, saying despite the recent spate of departure announcements, most of the old hands are being kept in place. 

Hooton argues that Sam Lotu-Iiga and Craig Foss were likely to be sacked regardless, and so their departures don't have any wider meaning.

He also says English "lacks the bottle" to really push for renewal, citing the likelihood of long-serving Ministers Nick Smith, Murray McCully and Gerry Brownlee keeping their jobs. 

"Nick Smith is clearly a person who at an absolute minimum Bill English has to get out of Cabinet."