Should Abbott step down?

[Neferti]

Malcolm Turnbull should just shut his trap. Or join the ALP as he would have a great indoctrination with all the leftards actually WANTING HIM. Maybe he can do a deal with Bill and make Bill the Treasurer or something.

Sounds like a deal to me. Turnbull (ALP) -v- Abbott in 2016.

Unless Morrison or Brough challenges him.

[Black Orchid]

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has caused outrage among MPs less than a week after surviving a leadership spill - this time for sacking veteran Liberal MP Philip Ruddock as his Chief Government Whip.

Mr Abbott's move yesterday not only angered his backbench but could again risk the questioning of his leadership, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.

Some even went as far as saying the move marked the beginning of 'the night of the long knives', the ABC reports.

Queensland MP Scott Buchholz will be taking over Mr Ruddock's position, which he has held since September 2013.

One backbencher described Mr Abbott's decision on Friday afternoon as 'another disastrous call'.
'The PM had my vote on Monday even though he refused to get rid of Peta Credlin [the chief of staff],' another MP told the Sydney Morning Herald.

He has now lost my vote because he had no right to get rid of Philip Ruddock.'
One MP told the ABC: 'the night of the long knives has begun.'

More at http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... z3RfgxqWia" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Has Abbott made yet another bad decision so soon?

[IQS.RLOW]

Nope. It was Ruddocks job to gauge the backbenchers.

He failed miserably and definitely should have been sacked.

[Rorschach]

LOL BO... hard to say maybe Phil wanted it.
as for the crap re counting numbers... no one with any reasonable pov expects people to be mindreaders in this situation, the truth is hardly likely to be expressed.
Nikolic is a dope on this issue.
As for Buckholz.... party man...
Certainly looks like loyalty rewards....

[Neferti]

Poor old Philip is 72 next month (born 12 March, 1943) maybe he is glad to leave? I read that he had "resigned" anyhow, not been "sacked". Whatever.

[Black Orchid]

I think that most members would hold their true intentions close to their chest. As if they are all going to fess up prior to the vote that they do not support Abbott. Not Ruddock's fault.

[boxy]

He's not going to make it. He hasn't learned a thing, or alternatively, is totally incapable of change. He's still totally obsessed with beating all comers, rather than leading the country, or working with others. He's no politician, he's a naysayer. Only good at wrecking the plans of others.

[Rorschach]

He's not going to make it. He hasn't learned a thing, or alternatively, is totally incapable of change. He's still totally obsessed with beating all comers, rather than leading the country, or working with others. He's no politician, he's a naysayer. Only good at wrecking the plans of others.

Well thanks for the Prog Bullshyt... no propaganda like old propaganda eh?
If you really want to see true negativity in action the current ALP win hands down.
they even refuse to pass their own legislation...

[Rorschach]

Abbott may be incapable of change.
His tactics may be wrong.
Policies may be wrong.
How the decisions are made may be wrong.
Etc, etc, etc... but it doesn't boil down to being a naysayer....

[mantra]

Abbott is definitely living on borrowed time. He's too old to change his colours now - and he shouldn't have to, but people just don't like what they see. I don't think he's as bad as he's been made out to be, but he is seriously uncommunicative which looks suspicious. Every time he opens his mouth he says the wrong thing and he's jumped on.

This renewed "effort" since the spill is definitely taking its toll on him. Sacking Ruddock was probably on the cards anyway, but Abbott's timing couldn't have been worse.