Australia PM Malcolm Turnbull offers fresh leadership vote after narrowly winning first one

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull stubbornly clung to power on Thursday, as senior ministers deserted him, saying he would hold a second leadership vote on Friday if he received a letter signed by the majority of the ruling Liberal party.

Turnbull narrowly won a leadership vote on Tuesday against former home affairs minister Peter Dutton. Dutton and senior ministers on Thursday called for a second ballot.

Turnbull said if he received the letter requesting a fresh vote, he would call a party meeting for midday on Friday (0200 GMT). If a leadership spill motion was then passed, he would not stand in the vote.

“If the motion is carried, I will treat that as a vote of no confidence and I will not stand as a candidate in the ballot,” Turnbull told reporters in Canberra.

First Published: Aug 23, 2018 09:48 IST