Liberal party on brink of dumping first female leader with Taylor’s backers confident of defeating Ley

The Liberal party is on the brink of dumping its first female leader, Sussan Ley, as she faces a leadership challenge from Angus Taylor. The outcome will be decided by a handful of votes, with Ley's supporters confident of defeating her challenger. By Thursday evening, 10 frontbenchers had resigned to support Taylor, including Dan Tehan, Michaelia Cash, and Jonathon Duniam. The resignations came as part of the "Libspill", which has seen several high-profile departures from Ley's team. The leadership vote is set for Friday morning, with the outcome uncertain. The Liberal party's future direction will depend on who emerges victorious in the leadership showdown.