Via Australian news outlet ABC:
- West Australian Liberal MP Luke Simpkins has emailed party room colleagues to announce he will move a spill motion against the Prime Minister.
- It will be seconded by Don Randall.
More now (various sources):
- will move a leadership spill on Tuesday
- A majority, or near majority vote in the spill motion, will oblige Mr Abbott to declare the leadership vacant
- Senior party members (such as Julie Bishop) have given assurances to not challenge Mr Abbott. But a successful spill motion allows them to sidestep this commitment because the leadership is declared vacant
The spill motion is a clear challenge to PM Abbott.
Simpkins says (from his email):
- In the last two weeks I have been inundated with emails and walk ins to my Electorate Office all questioning the direction the Government is being led in
- The Knighthood issue was for many the final proof of a disconnection with the people
- These contacts have come from many people that I personally know and are firm supporters
- In some cases they are booth workers as well
- The last time this outpouring of concern happened was when we were being led to support the Rudd Governments ETS and faced with this erosion of our base support we acted
