<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Angus Taylor's long-foreshadowed resignation from the </span><a href="http://9news.com.au/liberal-party" rel="" target="" title="Liberal Party"><span>Liberal Party</span></a><span> frontbench has kicked off a countdown to a challenge to Opposition Leader </span><a href="http://9news.com.au/sussan-ley" rel="" target="" title="Sussan Ley"><span>Sussan Ley</span></a><span>'s leadership.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>While the former opposition </span><a href="http://9news.com.au/defence" rel="" target="" title="defence"><span>defence</span></a><span> 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.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"But we can't mince words. The Liberal Party is at the worst position it has been since 1944, when the party was formed. That is a confronting reality and we cannot ignore it," Taylor said.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/angus-taylor-expected-to-resign-from-coalition-frontbench-leadership-spill/5d97a3e2-9666-44f4-9364-8bc864675ea5"><strong><span>Taylor quits frontbench for leadership showdown</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I don't believe Sussan Ley is in a position to be able to lead the party, as it needs to be led from here."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>This morning, Liberal frontbencher Claire Chandler resigned from Ley's frontbench, with a number of Taylor's supporters set to follow.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>An official challenge is widely expected today or tomorrow.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/angus-taylor-quits-sussan-ley-leadership-challenge-countdown-begins/ebf401ed-3a38-49b4-9cb3-38af38c8b8b7" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><span>What happens now?</span></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Assuming a leadership challenge goes ahead, the next step is to call a party room meeting, where a motion to spill the leadership can be called.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>If it's seconded and supported by a majority, nominations for leader will be opened and another vote will be called to decide who takes over, or if Ley stays.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The party tightened rules in 2018 in response to a revolving door of leaders to require a two-thirds majority to expel a sitting elected prime minister. But that doesn't apply in this case, meaning a simple majority is enough.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><span>Who's said what?</span></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Declarations of support for either Liberal from their colleagues were thin on the ground last night but reporting suggested more resignations could be coming this week.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Right-wing Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price was unsurprisingly quick to come out in support of Taylor, telling Sky News the party would be "wiped out" without a change.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I don't think it's any secret that I'll be backing Angus Taylor and I will be backing a move for a change of leadership," she said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Moderate Liberal MP Tim Wilson said he would "support the leader" but declined to pledge his explicit backing to Ley in a future leadership vote.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Well, as I've said, if you want loyalty, you have to show loyalty, and I believe in loyalty very much as a foundation for trust," he told ABC's </span><em><span>7.30</span></em><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"And off the back of that, I will then be going on, of course, as processes go on, to make sure that I'm making the decision in the best interests of the Liberal Party.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"But I've said that, you know, I support the leader."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>South Australian MP Tony Pasin expressed his support for Taylor.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Look the reality is something had to change," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"And I just went and saw Angus then and said, I'm proud of him. It takes real courage. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We can't keep doing what we've always done if we want different results, right?"</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Queensland LNP MP Garth Hamilton said he was glad the issue had been "brought to a head".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We clearly need to address these issues. They've been playing out for far too long publicly," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I think it's an important part of democratic process."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><span>Who has the numbers?</span></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Nine national affairs editor Andrew Probyn said many Liberals were angry Ley hadn't had a fair crack at the leadership while others were prepared to back Taylor but suspected he didn't have what it took to take on Labor.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"What was striking about Angus Taylor tonight was that he didn't announce any new policy direction at this stage, the main policy is simply that he wants to be leader now," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"That may change tomorrow. Perhaps he'll give his colleagues a better pitch, but for liberals voting in a leadership ballot, the biggest question is whether they stick with Sussan Ley.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I'm told that the numbers remain tight, neither side entirely confident, but even Lee's supporters want this damaging squabble sorted out one way or the other."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><span>What do the polls say?</span></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>If a Sky News Pulse poll by YouGov is to be believed, voters don't really want Taylor or Ley in charge of the Liberal Party.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Andrew Hastie, who </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/andrew-hastie-rules-out-challenging-opposition-leader-sussan-ley/855914b0-19a2-4c88-9f33-bc2b9b3006eb"><span>pulled out of a brewing three-way showdown</span></a><span> to clear the air for Taylor late last month, led with 15 per cent, followed by Ley with 10 per cent and Taylor with 8 per cent.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But the damning result for the party didn't even have a name to it, with 60 per cent of voters saying they didn't know who should lead it.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Among Liberal voters, Hastie's lead was starker (25 per cent compared to 12 and 11 per cent for Ley and Taylor).</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The latest Newspoll released on Monday saw the Coalition's primary vote slide to 18 per cent, now behind Labor at 33 per cent and One Nation on 27 per cent.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Liberal primary vote was just 15 per cent.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><span>How did we get here?</span></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A leadership spill has been looming after a tumultuous period for the Liberals.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Coalition split last month when three Nationals senators voted against the government's hate groups bill and were sacked from the frontbench.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Although the parties have since come back together, there have been growing concerns that One Nation has overtaken the Liberals in opinion polls and Ley's personal preferred prime minister polls have tanked.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><strong><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></strong></em><span> </span><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><em><strong><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" rel="" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>Apple</span></strong></em></a><span> </span><em><strong><span>and</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" rel="" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>Google Play</span></strong></em></a></li><li><em><strong><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" rel="" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>ticking this box here</span></strong></em></a></li><li><em><strong><span>Sign up to</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" rel="" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></strong></em></a></li></ul></div></div>