A Liberal Party leadership spill has been called for ahead of a looming partyroom meeting, as a growing number of frontbench heavyweights quit the shadow ministry, pulling their backing for Opposition Leader Sussan Ley and throwing their support behind Angus Taylor.
Federal Liberal MPs Phil Thompson and Jess Collins formally requested a leadership spill today by delivering a letter to Ley.
A partyroom meeting for that spill will be held at 9am (AEDT) tomorrow, where former opposition defence spokesperson Taylor will formally nominate for the party's leadership.
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Since Taylor quit the Liberal frontbench last night to challenge Ley, a string of other shadow ministers have followed his lead.
The most recent are Victorian MP Dan Tehan, opposition Senate leader Michaelia Cash, and shadow special minister of state James McGrath, who each tendered their resignations to support Taylor.
"This is not a decision I have taken lightly," Tehan – who has also put himself forward to run for deputy leader – said.
While Cash, a conservative, was always expected to back Taylor, McGrath and Tehan's resignations are particularly significant because they supported Ley when she claimed the leadership following last year's federal election.
"While I realise this news won't please everyone, it is important that Australia has a strong and effective opposition," McGrath said.
"I have made this decision as I believe it is in the best interest of Queensland, Australia and the Liberal National Party."
Senior shadow cabinet members James Paterson and Jonno Duniam have also both quit the frontbench to support Taylor.
Paterson fronted the media earlier today after informing Ley of his resignation and said he no longer had confidence in her ability to lead the party.
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"Sussan Ley is a decent person, a good Liberal, she has been dealt many tough hands in the last nine months," he said.
"But I no longer have confidence in her ability to turn this ship around to get our back on track before the next election."
Paterson then praised Taylor for having the "smartest policy brain in the shadow cabinet" as he backed him as the next Liberal leader.
He did not, however, outline what policy changes Taylor would propose if the spill is successful.
"Angus understands this is a change-or-die moment for the Liberal Party," he added.
"We must change or we will not continue to exist."
Meanwhile, WA frontbencher Matt O'Sullivan also tendered his resignation amid the partyroom chaos.
"This decision has not been taken lightly," he said.
"However, I have reached the view that the Coalition currently lacks the policy clarity, leadership and strategic direction required to rebuild trust with voters and present a compelling alternative government."
Claire Chandler and Phil Thompson are also among the growing number of Liberal resignations.
Ley remains quiet as narrow race begins
Ley is yet to formally comment on tomorrow's challenge, although she has been posting promotional content to social media promising to deliver a "better future".
Nine's political editor Charles Croucher said Taylor has the party support to seriously challenge Ley for the top job.
"What I'm being told here is that he has the numbers, although it's close," Croucher said.
Taylor said in a campaign message shared to X that the Liberal Party has "lost it's way".
"I am running to be the leader of the Liberal Party, because I believe Australia is worth fighting for," Taylor said.
"I believe we need strong and decisive leadership that gives Australians clarity, courage, and confidence in providing a vision for the future."
Liberal moderate Jane Hume, who was dumped from shadow cabinet when Ley became Liberal leader, is widely expected to run for deputy if Taylor is successful in his challenge.
The countdown to the leadership spill
Taylor's long-foreshadowed resignation from the Liberal Party frontbench yesterday kicked off the countdown to a challenge to Ley's leadership.
While the former opposition defence spokesperson didn't explicitly declare his plans last night, his decision to quit and outright withdrawal of support for Ley's leadership made his intentions clear.
"But we can't mince words. The Liberal Party is at the worst position it has been since 1944, when the party was formed. That is a confronting reality and we cannot ignore it," Taylor said.
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"I don't believe Sussan Ley is in a position to be able to lead the party, as it needs to be led from here."
This morning, Liberal frontbencher Claire Chandler resigned from Ley's frontbench, with a number of Taylor's supporters set to follow.
What happens now?
At tomorrow's partyroom meeting, a motion to spill the leadership can be called.
If it's seconded – which it is certain to be – and supported by a majority, nominations for leader will be opened and another vote will be called to decide who takes over, or if Ley stays.
The party tightened rules in 2018 in response to a revolving door of leaders to require a two-thirds majority to expel a sitting elected prime minister. But that doesn't apply in this case, meaning a simple majority is enough.
Who's said what?
Declarations of support for either Liberal from their colleagues were thin on the ground last night but reporting suggested more resignations could be coming this week.
Right-wing Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price was unsurprisingly quick to come out in support of Taylor, telling Sky News the party would be "wiped out" without a change.
"I don't think it's any secret that I'll be backing Angus Taylor and I will be backing a move for a change of leadership," she said.
Moderate Liberal MP Tim Wilson said he would "support the leader" but declined to pledge his explicit backing to Ley in a future leadership vote.
"Well, as I've said, if you want loyalty, you have to show loyalty, and I believe in loyalty very much as a foundation for trust," he told ABC's 7.30.
"And off the back of that, I will then be going on, of course, as processes go on, to make sure that I'm making the decision in the best interests of the Liberal Party.
"But I've said that, you know, I support the leader."
South Australian MP Tony Pasin expressed his support for Taylor.
"Look the reality is something had to change," he said.
"And I just went and saw Angus then and said, I'm proud of him. It takes real courage.
"We can't keep doing what we've always done if we want different results, right?"
Queensland LNP MP Garth Hamilton said he was glad the issue had been "brought to a head".
"We clearly need to address these issues. They've been playing out for far too long publicly," he said.
"I think it's an important part of democratic process."
Who has the numbers?
Nine national affairs editor Andrew Probyn said many Liberals were angry Ley hadn't had a fair crack at the leadership while others were prepared to back Taylor but suspected he didn't have what it took to take on Labor.
"What was striking about Angus Taylor tonight was that he didn't announce any new policy direction at this stage, the main policy is simply that he wants to be leader now," he said.
"That may change tomorrow. Perhaps he'll give his colleagues a better pitch, but for liberals voting in a leadership ballot, the biggest question is whether they stick with Sussan Ley.
"I'm told that the numbers remain tight, neither side entirely confident, but even Lee's supporters want this damaging squabble sorted out one way or the other."
What do the polls say?
If a Sky News Pulse poll by YouGov is to be believed, voters don't really want Taylor or Ley in charge of the Liberal Party.
Andrew Hastie, who pulled out of a brewing three-way showdown to clear the air for Taylor late last month, led with 15 per cent, followed by Ley with 10 per cent and Taylor with 8 per cent.
But the damning result for the party didn't even have a name to it, with 60 per cent of voters saying they didn't know who should lead it.
Among Liberal voters, Hastie's lead was starker (25 per cent compared to 12 and 11 per cent for Ley and Taylor).
The latest Newspoll released on Monday saw the Coalition's primary vote slide to 18 per cent, now behind Labor at 33 per cent and One Nation on 27 per cent.
The Liberal primary vote was just 15 per cent.
How did we get here?
A leadership spill has been looming after a tumultuous period for the Liberals.
The Coalition split last month when three Nationals senators voted against the government's hate groups bill and were sacked from the frontbench.
Although the parties have since come back together, there have been growing concerns that One Nation has overtaken the Liberals in opinion polls and Ley's personal preferred prime minister polls have tanked.
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