Andrew Hastie firms as Liberal leadership challenger amid push for Ley to step aside

Andrew Hastie – who has previously declared leadership aspirations – is prepared to run for the Liberal party’s top job after encouragement from colleagues. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

Andrew Hastie is emerging as a candidate to challenge Sussan Ley for the Liberal party’s leadership, as MPs privately push for the party’s first female leader to step aside.

As a defiant Ley declared she would survive the fallout from the latest Coalition split, internal rivals were adamant she had lost the support of the party room. This is despite the Nationals leader, David Littleproud, being blamed for the break-up.