<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Angus Taylor is poised to grab the Liberal leadership from Sussan Ley this morning when a party room meeting is held to call a spill motion.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The chances of Ley - the party's first female leader - holding onto the job look increasingly slim as support for conservative Taylor among federal Liberal MPs continues to grow.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>MPs Phil Thompson and Jess Collins formally requested a leadership spill yesterday by delivering a letter to Ley.</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-quits-sussan-ley-leadership-challenge-countdown-begins/ebf401ed-3a38-49b4-9cb3-38af38c8b8b7" rel="" target="_blank" title="Liberal leadership spill confirmed ahead of party room meeting where Angus Taylor will challenge Sussan Ley"><strong><span>Liberal leadership spill confirmed ahead of party room meeting where Angus Taylor will challenge Sussan Ley</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A party room meeting for that spill will be held at 9am (AEDT) today, where former opposition defence spokesperson Taylor will formally nominate for the party's leadership.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Key figures yesterday backed Taylor as the best choice to turn around the party's fortunes after it haemorrhaged support to One Nation.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A string of front benchers quit the shadow ministry yesterday, in a sure sign Ley's hold on the leader's job was under threat.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/angus-taylor-poised-to-unseat-leader-sussan-ley-in-spill-motion/d2decf1d-5344-4614-8d0a-e424e7941d10" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Among them was James Patterson, who said he no longer had confidence in Ley's ability to lead the party.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Sussan Ley is a decent person, a good Liberal, she has been dealt many tough hands in the last nine months," he said.</span></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/dozens-of-escooters-and-other-rideables-destroyed-in-police-crackdown/2c19ae26-510c-45f9-8050-01227435c50f" target="" title=""><strong><span>Dozens of e-scooters and other rideables destroyed in police crackdown</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"But I no longer have confidence in her ability to turn this ship around to get our back on track before the next election."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Paterson then praised Taylor for having the "smartest policy brain in the shadow cabinet" as he backed him as the next Liberal leader.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But shadow attorney-general Andrew Wallace said yesterday Ley should be given more time.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I support Sussan Ley. I think she's done a very good job under very difficult circumstances.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"She hasn't been the leader for 12 months yet. It's only been nine months since the election in May."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Dan Tehan was another prominent figure to quit the front bench, with the Victorian MP joining Senate leader Michaelia Cash, and shadow special minister of state James McGrath to throw their support behind Taylor.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Tehan has thrown his hat in the ring for the deputy leader role currently held by Ted O'Brien.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Both are likely to join Senator Jane Hume in a close-fought contest for the job.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><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><strong><em><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>ticking this box here</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Sign up to</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></em></strong></a></li></ul></div></div>