Likely Liberal contender denies plans to roll leader

Angus Taylor says there is no coup being planned to replace Sussan Ley as leader of the opposition. (Mick Tsikas/AAP PHOTOS)

Liberal frontbencher Angus Taylor has insisted he has no plans to roll his leader despite holding ambitions to serve in the party's top job.

MPs and senators widely expect Mr Taylor to challenge opposition leader Sussan Ley for the role in coming weeks, but disagree over whether he has the numbers to win a spill.

Pressed on whether Ms Ley would still be leader at the end of next week, Mr Taylor said a coup was not in the works, but conceded he'd been "having conversations" with his colleagues about the party's future.

"There is no plan," he told Sydney radio station 2GB.

"If I had a plan to remove Sussan as leader or put my hand up for the leadership I would be telling Sussan Ley about that first, I wouldn't be saying anything about it on this radio station."

Opposition Leader Sussan Ley is widely expected to face a challenge for the Liberal helm. (Mick Tsikas/AAP PHOTOS)

Mr Taylor has largely avoided media appearances in recent weeks but when asked, he has repeatedly refused to rule out a leadership challenge.

Many Liberal insiders privately concede a challenge from Mr Taylor is inevitable, and expect him to push for a spill as soon as next week.

The opposition defence spokesman admitted he did hold ambitions to lead the Liberal party, pointing to his failed attempt to win the leadership after the coalition's defeat in the May election.

In that vote, Ms Ley beat Mr Taylor 29 votes to 25.

But three of the opposition leader's backers have since left the party room.

"I'm not going to say to you and your listeners that I don't have and haven't had leadership ambitions. I clearly have had," Mr Taylor said.

"I think ambition is a good thing."

Angus Taylor says the Liberals presently seem weak on fundamental values such as basic freedoms. (Lukas Coch/AAP PHOTOS)

The Liberals have dealt with a string of dire poll results in recent weeks, after breaking up with their former coalition partner the Nationals.

The most recent RedBridge survey put Pauline Hanson's One Nation ahead of the one-time allies in voter support.

Mr Taylor said the Liberal Party needed to be better at standing up for its values in order to win back Australians.

"I believe in those fundamental values - democracy, the rule of law, our basic freedoms - and the Liberal Party has always stood up for those things. Right now, we seem to be weak on those things, and we must do better," he said.