Liberal MP Angus Taylor is widely expected to announce his resignation from Opposition Leader Sussan Ley’s frontbench this afternoon, allowing him to openly lobby colleagues to run for leader.
Taylor is considering whether to walk into Ley’s office to inform her of his intent to take control of the party, according to his allies.
One of his backers said the challenge was definitely on, but the timing was not locked in. Another MP who supports Taylor said the 58-year-old would look silly if he delayed another day, making a move this afternoon nearly inevitable.
Once Taylor quits the shadow ministry, MPs including James Paterson, Matt O’Sullivan, Phil Thompson and one or two others are expected to follow him. The scale of the walkout could shape perceptions of the depth of Taylor’s support and the decisiveness of his manoeuvre.
Moderate MPs behind Ley have urged her to reject a letter, likely to be sent on Wednesday after any resignations, calling for a special party room meeting to hold a leadership vote. Instead, they want her to emulate Malcolm Turnbull by demanding the signatures of a majority of MPs to bring on a ballot.
Ley is likely to reject this incendiary tactic. “She’ll allow the meeting. It will be clean,” one supporter said. The same supporter said Ley would not spring her own ballot early on Wednesday evening to surprise the Taylor forces and capitalise on their delay.
A party room meeting will likely be held on Thursday or Friday. A complicating factor is that South Australian senator Leah Blythe is not back in Canberra until Thursday afternoon. Blythe is in the Right faction and will vote for Taylor.
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