Liberal MP Julian Leeser waters down Andrew Hastie's fiery email to supporters

The man who wants to one day lead the Liberal party has raised eyebrows with a cryptic comment about his “enemies” in an email to supporters.

Andrew Hastie moved to the backbench earlier in October over a policy rift with leader Sussan Ley.

In an email sent on Friday, at the end of the first Parliamentary sitting week since he resigned from the shadow ministry, Mr Hastie told constituents the week had been “a big one.”

“Many people have had their say about my resignation from the frontbench,” he wrote.

“I’ve watched closely, as our enemies have unmasked their guns.

“But silence has been prudent.

“To quote the great British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli: ‘Though I sit down now, the time will come when you will hear me’,” Mr Hastie said in the email.

Liberal frontbencher Julian Leeser attempted to clarify the former SAS soldier’s words, telling Sky News Mr Hastie had a “big contribution to make.”

Asked for his response to the email, Mr Leeser said his colleague’s reference to enemies unmasking guns was possibly about “the Labor party, or about ISIS, or about, you know, the enemies of western civilisation.”

“I’m sure that’s what he’s talking about,” Mr Leeser said.

Mr Hastie has made a number of interventions on social media in recent weeks, as Liberals and Nationals thrash out their stance on a range of issues after their election loss in May.

In September he posted on Instagram suggesting high immigration levels were making Australians feel like “strangers” in their own homes.

Asked about the post, Liberal frontbencher Melissa McIntosh said she didn’t feel like a stranger in her community.

“Western Sydney, where I am, is the best place in the country, and it is built on all sorts of people coming here to make a better life for their family,” she told the ABC’s Insiders program.

“I think everyone should feel always at home in Australia,” she said.

Ms McIntosh, who was one of the only Sydney Liberals to hold her seat at the election, also warned change was needed within the party to attract more female candidates and improve its appeal to women across Australia.

She said she’d like to see more change but it wouldn’t happen overnight.

“I wish I could say to you, since the election, that it’s all hunky dory, everything’s amazing in the Liberal party,” Ms McIntosh said.

“That wouldn’t be telling the truth.”