Sussan Ley to announce Liberal-only frontbench as allies increasingly confident she won’t face spill

One senior MP says party’s credibility would be ‘in tatters’ if it removed first female leader at Nationals’ behest

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Sussan Ley is planning to announce a Liberal party-only frontbench within days that formalises the breakup of the Coalition, as she stares down a campaign from the right faction to end her leadership over the latest split with the Nationals.

The opposition leader’s allies are increasingly confident Ley won’t face a leadership spill when parliament returns next week, with conservative contenders Andrew Hastie and Angus Taylor yet to declare their intentions.