Follow live: Angus Taylor declares Liberal leadership challenge against Sussan Ley

As the leadership spill continues to build in the Liberal Party, with more frontbenchers resigning, analysts and polls say the party faces a bigger existential problem, as some Coalition voters move to support One Nation.

The most recent Roy Morgan poll from 2-8 February indicates that 24.5 per cent of voters support One Nation, whereas 22.5 per cent prefer the Liberal/National Party coalition.

In contrast, the January average polling showed 24 per cent backing the Coalition and 21.5 per cent supporting One Nation.

A recent Newspoll published by The Australian also revealed a historic low for the Coalition, with support plunging to 18 per cent and marking Opposition leader Sussan Ley as the least popular major party leader in 23 years.

The Newspoll showed One Nation polling at 27 per cent.

Analysts say a significant part of the increase in One Nation support is coming from traditional Liberal voters, predominantly gen X and baby boomers.

On 22 January, when the Nationals and Liberals were split, Simon Welsh, director of research and reputation at political consultancy firm Redbridge, said: "The idea of a major political institution falling over shouldn't be dismissed".

"I think this is a real existential moment for the Libs," he told SBS News.

— Niv Sadrolodabaee

Michaelia Cash is one of the prominent conservative Liberal frontbenchers yet to resign.

The WA senator holds the foreign affairs portfolio and leads the Opposition in the Senate.

Liberal senator Michaelia Cash is currently grilling the government in Senate estimates. Source: AAP / Lukas Coch

With Senate estimates underway, her resignation is complicated.

Cash, a factional ally of Angus Taylor, will have to find a break from sitting on the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade committee to tender her resignation.

Energy and emissions spokesperson Dan Tehan is also one to watch, belonging to Taylor's right-wing faction.

— Ewa Staszewska

Liberal home affairs spokesperson Jonno Duniam has resigned alongside finance spokesperson James Paterson.

These are significant resignations as Paterson is a member of the leadership group, while Duniam is the manager of the Opposition business in the Senate.

Six Liberal Party members, including challenger Angus Taylor, have now quit Sussan Ley's frontbench.

— Ewa Staszewska

Just minutes after former Opposition defence spokesperson Angus Taylor shared a video formally challenging Sussan Ley for the Liberal Party leadership, Ley posted a smiling photo of herself on X.

"We will take the pressure off families, fix the budget, and keep Australia safe," she said.

— Niv Sadrolodabaee

We are now seeing the staggered resignations of conservative frontbenchers as they manoeuvre to put pressure on Sussan Ley to call a party room meeting and trigger the conditions for a spill motion.

Even those in the conservative factions — who are required to back their chosen candidate, Angus Taylor — have been privately disappointed with the way this is playing out. 

A few have told SBS News they feel like it's appearing to the nation as in "shambles", but they're intent on going ahead with the spill and trying to depose Ley as leader because of opinion polls.

Expect more senior shadow cabinet ministers to take to social media later in the day and announce their resignations.

This is all about laying the foundations for a spill, which could be held tonight or tomorrow.

Taylor's backers need to get the numbers to vote for a spill motion for it to go ahead.

As we know from history, there is always the possibility another candidate for the leadership could emerge.

At this stage, it's looking unlikely.

— Anna Henderson

Former defence spokesperson Angus Taylor will challenge Sussan Ley for Liberal Party leadership.

He confirmed his candidacy in a video posted to X on Thursday morning, after stopping short of making the call when he tendered his frontbench resignation on Wednesday night.

"I think we need strong and decisive leadership that gives Australians clarity, courage and confidence in providing vision for the future," Taylor said.

He said he's committed to giving Australians a "strong alternative" and "restoring the party".

— Ewa Staszewska

Opposition housing spokesperson Andrew Bragg has supported Sussan Ley's leadership, saying she "ought to be given an opportunity".

"I think Sussan has been dealt a pretty difficult hand. She's a tough person, and I think she ought to be given more time in the role, as I think most normal people would expect 12 months in a job is at least a reasonable attempt," Bragg told Sky News.

In response to a question about whether he will support Angus Taylor as a possible leader, he said: "It's not clear to me what the alternative vision for Australia is."

— Niv Sadrolodabaee

A leadership challenge is mounting against the Liberal Party's first female leader, Sussan Ley.

Her nine-month tenure didn't start without controversy, after the party suffered a historic loss at the May 2025 federal election.

Narrowly defeating Angus Taylor for the top job — by a mere four votes — also put a target on her back from the onset.

Those not in her camp have been quick to capitalise on missteps, including when she called on former ambassador to the US Kevin Rudd to be sacked after a tense exchange with United States President Donald Trump.

She was forced to backtrack the comments after the meeting was largely praised as a success.

The Farrer MP's October 2025 attempt to link a Joy Division T-shirt with antisemitism — demanding Prime Minister Anthony Albanese apologise for wearing the shirt — also failed in light of more pressing political issues.

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While Ley negotiated a second reunion with the Nationals over the weekend, the Coalition has fractured twice under her leadership.

The infighting within the Coalition has repeatedly undermined her stewardship. Nationals leader David Littleproud publicly stated he couldn't serve in a shadow cabinet under Ley, remarks he stepped back on on Sunday.

Dire polling numbers have also plagued Ley, with Newspoll, Redbridge and Morgan polls all ranking the Coalition behind One Nation.

The Coalition's conservative voters have split from the major party, contributing to a record rise for One Nation, which now sits second behind Labor.

Sunday's Newspoll also saw Ley's personal approval drop 11 points to a low of -39, the worst for a major party leader in two decades.

— Ewa Staszewska

Phillip Thompson, who told the media he resigned from the frontbench minutes ago, has handed a spill motion request to Opposition leader Sussan Ley, alongside NSW Liberal senator Jess Collins.

"Jess and I made the decision that there's no more talking about it, no more whispers, no more talking about ourselves," Thompson said.

He said the party is currently in a "death spiral" and "Angus Taylor has the ability" to get the party out of it.

— Niv Sadrolodabaee

Senator Matt O'Sullivan, the Opposition's spokesperson for fisheries, forestry and infrastructure, and Philip Thompson, spokesperson for defence and the NDIS, are currently resigning from the front bench, according to reports from the parliament.

That follows senator Claire Chandler, the Opposition's spokesperson for science and cybersecurity, resigning this morning.

Including Angus Taylor, four Opposition frontbenchers have now resigned from their positions.

— Niv Sadrolodabaee

Sarah Henderson, a Liberal senator and Angus Taylor ally, says she hopes Sussan Ley's leadership will end in days.

"We need a credible set of policies, we need to show that we can fight for the Australian people, hold this terrible government to account every single day, and that's why I am hoping that Angus Taylor will be our leader in the next couple of days," she told ABC News Breakfast.

She also added that she will support Victorian senator Jane Hume for the deputy leader position.

"I do think that we need to promote a senior woman, so that is who I am backing, that Jane gets up," she said.

— Niv Sadrolodabaee

Good morning, welcome to our live coverage of Canberra today after Angus Taylor quit the Liberal front bench last night.

Taylor stepped down from his role as Opposition defence spokesperson in anticipation of a challenge to Liberal Party leader Sussan Ley.

On Thursday morning, Claire Chandler became the first of Taylor's colleagues to follow him, announcing she had resigned from her frontbench positions as Opposition spokesperson for science and Opposition spokesperson for cybersecurity.

READ MORE

Angus Taylor steps down ahead of expected Liberal leadership spill

In a video she shared on social media, Chandler said she made the decision because she had been contacted by constituents who felt the Liberal Party had "let them down" and were not effectively holding the government "accountable".

"They just see an opposition that is obsessed with talking about itself," she added.

Chandler said she believed the Liberal Party was capable of "so much better" but she had come to the view that that wouldn't happen under Ley's leadership.

We'll be bringing you more as this story develops today.

— Alex Gallagher