Angus Taylor resigns from frontbench, paves way for leadership spill; Herzog to arrive in Melbourne as special powers granted to police

Angus Taylor’s resignation has finally opened the door to him launching a leadership challenge to Sussan Ley, but a date and time has not been set – yet.

The now former shadow minister for defence was at pains to stress he had resigned during his meeting with Ley and nothing more.

But it is almost unthinkable that a vote would not be held in the Liberal Party room either today or tomorrow.

Taylor’s supporters confirmed that there would be more resignations today.

That’s for one simple reason: a series of resignations by the Taylor supporters on the Liberal frontbench will create momentum for the potential challenger.

For Ley and her supporters the impression created is one of chaos, of a ship going down slowly.

It’s a tried and tested method: in 2009, close to a dozen Tony Abbott supporters faxed and emailed their resignations to Malcolm Turnbull’s office over a day or two and badly damaged the opposition leader.

The same method was used by Peter Dutton supporters against Malcolm Turnbull in 2018, with senior MPs including Mathias Cormann, Michaelia Cash and Mitch Fifield pulling the pin.

Taylor and his supporters have the same plan, and Thursday morning will bring more frontbench carnage for Ley – and likely, a time and place for the pair’s final showdown.