Australian news and politics live: Angus Taylor elected Liberal Leader, Sussan Ley out

Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott has welcomed Angus Taylor’s victory in today’s Liberal leadership contest, declaring he is the “best person for the job” and can win the next election.

“Everyone should get behind him because we need to win and be a strong opposition,” Mr Abbott told the ABC.

“The next election is winnable,” he said shortly after the result of the party room ballot was confirmed 34-17 in favour of Mr Taylor over Ms Ley.

Liberals are now voting for the deputy leader, which is likely to take longer.

Four people have put their hands up: incumbent Ted O’Brien, senator Jane Hume, Victorian MP Dan Tehan and WA MP Melissa Price.

The voting is done on an exhaustive ballot, meaning if no one gets more than half, whoever gets the fewest votes is eliminated and another round of voting takes place.

The Liberals have elected Angus Taylor to lead them, dumping the party’s first female leader Sussan Ley, after just nine months.

Mr Taylor won the leadership vote 34-17.

He now faces the challenge of rebuilding the Opposition’s standing from its worst-ever election result and the continued tanking in the polls.

Sussan Ley has put her hand up to run against Angus Taylor.

Reports claim the secret ballot has just taken place and votes are being counted.

The motion to declare the leadership positions vacant has passed 33 votes to 17, with one abstained.

That means there will now be nominations taken from the floor for those who want to be the leader.

WA Liberal Andrew Hastie was asked, while walking into Parliament House ahead of the leadership spill, if it’s a good day for the Liberal Party.

The Canning MP responded only with: “We’ll see”.

Sussan Ley supporter Andrew Wallace says Ms Ley wasn’t given a chance to succeed.

“My support remains with Susan Ley. She’s done a very, very good job in very difficult circumstances. It’s been a tough nine months but I simply don’t think she’s had a reasonable opportunity to succeed,” he told reporters while heading into Parliament after a run.

“Look at the end of the day, I’m keen to get over today, over and done with, because what the Australian people are looking for from its opposition is unity.

“Australians are very, very angry at this government. We’ve had the sharpest fall in living standards in the OECD, people are paying through their nose for all the essentials.”

Liberals MPs have filed into the party room prepared for the spill motion and, if that’s successful, the leadership vote.

Angus Taylor slipped into the room alone – it’s handily across the corridor from his office – at 8.58am.

Sussan Ley walked in, flanked by a group of eight moderates right on the dot of 9am.

It was a show of support for their leader, even though they know it might be a last stand and made a big contrast to the last major party room meeting, held about dumping net zero, when the conservatives walked in force and Ms Ley arrived alone.

Liberals have started arriving for a party room meeting after Sussan Ley was told to vacate the leadership.

The meeting gets underway at 9am. Inside the room, a secret ballot will take place where Liberals will vote on the leadership and deputy leadership.

Angus Taylor and Sussan Ley are both running for the leadership.

Jane Hume, Dan Tehan and Ted O’Brien are expected to run for deputy.

We may not know who wins the ballot for an hour after the meeting comes out, unless the result leaks, which is absolutely possible.

Queensland MP Phil Thompson, a key supporter of Angus Taylor, says he would be a “fantastic Prime Minister”.

“The way I look at it is I believe that Angus Taylor will be a good opposition leader and a fantastic Prime Minister,” he told reporters outside Parliament House.

Mr Thompson listed off attributes he believes would make Mr Taylor a great leader, many of which Ms Ley shares.

“He’s been in this place for a while. He’s been in senior positions in government. He’s held senior positions in opposition.

“He’s been someone that has not just been around here a long time, but he comes from the background, through his time in McKinsey, through his time as a farmer.

“He’s been out to lead the debate around the Liberal party’s position on net zero which… we’ve landed in a position where we don’t support it, which is a good position.

“He’s a good person, and so is Susan, but we need strong leadership.”