Coalition braces for another leadership switch

Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack claims he has the ‘‘absolute’’ support of the Nationals partyroom, but also concedes ‘‘one or two’’ colleagues are actively working to bring him down.

McCormack is under immense pressure amid speculation supporters of Barnaby Joyce could try to topple him within days.

He will not be stepping down. ‘‘The fact is I have the majority support in the National Party,’’ McCormack said yesterday. ‘‘Not one National Party member has come to me and said they’re dissatisfied with anything.’’

McCormack said he does not expect a challenge to his leadership, claiming several colleagues have called and texted him in the past 24 hours to praise the job he is doing.

But he acknowledged ‘‘one or two’’ Nationals colleagues were briefing the media against him.

His political allies are bracing for a move on his leadership as soon as Monday.

Queensland Nationals MP Michelle Landry urged her colleagues to calm down, insisting no one was interested in switching leaders right now.

‘‘I’m sure at some stage in his career Barnaby will be leader again,’’ she told Sky News.

It has been just two months since the Liberal leadership crisis, and the National Party has long presented itself to voters as the political party of internal stability.

A federal election is due by May.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison claims he is not distracted by the Nationals leadership chatter.

‘‘You guys can focus on the politics all you like, I’m focused on what the Australian people are focused on,’’ Morrison told reporters in Canberra.

McCormack has led the federal party since February when Joyce resigned after having an affair with a former staffer, who gave birth earlier this year.

– AAP