Turnbull says no cabinet room for Abbott

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has cruelled Tony Abbott's bid to return to cabinet, saying he has no plans to change the line up.

Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott shakes hands with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull Source: FAIRFAX MEDIA POOL

Malcolm Turnbull has the opposite problem to Old Mother Hubbard: his cabinet is full.

The prime minister's predecessor Tony Abbott has made a bid, via a friend's newspaper column, to return to the coalition frontbench but the prime minister effectively nixed it on Monday by saying he had no plans for changes.

"I've got more people of cabinet material than I can fit into the cabinet, which is a good problem to have as a prime minister," he told ABC radio.