Adrian Dix resigns as leader of BC NDP

VANCOUVER – BC Opposition Leader Adrian Dix will quit as leader as soon as the party can hold a leadership vote.

Dix says he must take responsibility for the party’s devastating election loss in May, a vote the NDP was widely expected to win.

“Since our defeat in the election on May 14th I have reflected both on my future as leader of the BC NDP and the future of the party. In doing so, I have tried to put the long-term success of the BC NDP and British Columbia ahead of any personal ambitions. I have always believed very strongly that politics is not about politicians or the leaders, themselves, but about the people we represent and the change we hope to bring to British Columbia,” he says.

Dix says he will stay on until a leadership vote, which will be held no later than the middle of next year.”In the meantime, I intend to continue to lead our party and caucus in the important work of holding the Liberals to account for the promises they made during the election campaign. We must take on a Liberal government that seems to reduce everything to its partisan advantage.”

“Whoever is chosen as the next leader of our party will have my complete support and my relentless effort as we prepare to defeat the Liberals and form government in 2017,” he adds.

Former MLA David Schreck says a resignation was the only way to go, but wishes it came earlier. “I would have preferred an immediate resignation and an interim leader, but I can live with what Adrian announced.

Schreck expects up to six serious candidates to throw their names into the ring to eventually replace Dix.

Speculation about what Dix would do has been swirling for months and he left the legislature in July saying he would take time to reflect on his political future.

Since then, Dix was rarely in the public eye and his supporters were quiet.

However, detractors had been publicly calling for him to indicate his exit plan to allow the party to get on with the rebuilding process.