Australian news and politics live: Angus Taylor resigns from frontbench, spill letter sent to Sussan Ley

Angus Taylor’s camp has formally lodged its request for a spill motion with Liberal whip Aaron Violi.

Phil Thompson – who quit the front bench half an hour ago – and first-term NSW Senator Jess Collins put their names to the motion, indicating they want to use the meeting to call for Sussan Ley to quit the leadership.

The timing of a meeting is now in Ms Ley’s hands.

The Liberal frontbench resignations continue to drip out.

WA senator Matt O’Sullivan has just quit his position as shadow assistant minister for fisheries, forestry and infrastructure, and Philip Thompson has resigned as the shadow assistant minister for defence and the NDIS.

Mr Thompson spent about an hour in Angus Taylor’s office after Question Time on Wednesday, while media waited for the leadership contender to visit Sussan Ley.

Liberal senator Sarah Henderson has endorsed Jane Hume as a new deputy leader, saying she would make a “formidable combination” with Angus Taylor at the top of the party.

“There’s no ticket, of course, but I do hope that Jane puts up her hand,” the senator told reporters in a Parliament House corridor.

Multiple names have been tossed around as possible deputies, with Liberal sources on Wednesday saying another Victorian, Zoe McKenzie, was firming as the favourite.

As to the need for leadership change, Senator Henderson echoed Mr Taylor’s comments from last night that the party was in its most dire situation since 1944.

“Angus is very experienced. He’s very principled. He’s got a wonderful background as a business person. He’s got a great empathy with regional Australians, and he’s very determined. He’s very courageous, and he’s very focused on our values,” she said.

She cited an instance where she crossed the floor to pursue a cap on foreign students as an example of how Sussan Ley didn’t have that focus.

Tasmanian Senator Claire Chandler has become the first Liberal frontbencher to quit the shadow ministry following Angus Taylor’s resignation late on Wednesday.

Sources have told The Nightly that the conservative figure has this morning resigned as shadow minister for cyber security and shadow minister for science.

Further front bench resignations are expected this morning as allies of Mr Taylor prepare for him to formally challenge Sussan Ley for the Liberal leadership on Friday.

Sources in Canberra say that a letter, signed by two Liberals, is currently on the way to Opposition Leader Sussan Ley, formally requesting a leadership spill.

It comes after Angus Taylor resigned from Ms Ley’s frontbench on Wednesday afternoon, starting a series of events that could see the Liberal Party’s first Federal female leader ousted from her position.

7NEWS political editor Mark Riley told Sunrise on Thursday morning that the letter is on its way and that Liberals are making their way to Canberra this morning.

The spill is expected to occur on Friday morning, giving Liberals who are not in Canberra enough time to make it back for the party room ballot.

Angus Taylor has quit the shadow ministry and declared he no longer had faith in Sussan Ley’s leadership of the Liberal Party — but stopped short of challenging for her job.

His highly anticipated move clears the way for a formal spill of the leadership, with a motion expected to be called for on Thursday.

The timing of a special party room meeting will be in Ms Ley’s hands but it is anticipated to come on Friday due to the complicating logistics of Senate estimates.

Mr Taylor — who narrowly lost the leadership to Ms Ley in a contest after last May’s election — said he had “sought to be a constructive member of the leadership team” since then.

“We can’t mince words. The Liberal Party is in the worst position it has been since 1944 when the party was formed. That is a confronting reality and we cannot ignore it, “ he told reporters after his four-minute meeting with Ms Ley.

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