Angus Taylor is  set to challenge Sussan Ley for the Liberal leadership. What happens now?
Angus Taylor’s long-foreshadowed resignation from the Liberal Party frontbench has kicked off a countdown to a challenge to Opposition Leader Sussan Ley‘s leadership.
While the former opposition defence spokesperson didn’t explicitly declare his plans last night, his decision to quit and outright withdrawal of support for Ley’s leadership made his intentions clear.

“We can’t mince words. The Liberal Party finds itself in its most precarious position since its inception in 1944,” remarked Taylor, confronting the unsettling reality facing the party today.

Member for Hume Angus Taylor during a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra on Wednesday February 11, 2026(Sky News Pulse by YouGov)

A leadership spill appears increasingly imminent as the Liberals navigate through a particularly turbulent chapter.

The Coalition faced a dramatic split last month when three Nationals senators defied party lines and voted against the government’s proposed hate groups bill, leading to their removal from the frontbench. Although the parties have since reconciled, the episode has left its mark.

Concerns are mounting as One Nation climbs past the Liberals in opinion polls, adding to the pressure. Furthermore, Ley’s personal approval ratings as preferred prime minister have seen a significant decline, exacerbating the party’s woes.

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