David Littleproud urges Barnaby Joyce to stay in the Nationals amid speculation of a jump to One Nation | Barnaby Joyce

National Party leader David Littleproud has called for Barnaby Joyce to remain in the party after the maverick MP announced his intention to resign and consider “all options”; this led to speculation of a possible defection to Pauline Hanson’s One Nation.

The former deputy prime minister announced on Saturday that he will not run for the New England seat in New South Wales at the next election. He cited an irreparably damaged relationship with the National Party’s leadership, but would last the remainder of the parliamentary term.

The move led to speculation that Joyce might switch parties at the end of his career and run for One Nation in the Senate in the next federal election.

Littleproud said Joyce still played a critical role within the party and urged him to remain within the Coalition.

“We want him to stay in the National party. I think there’s a contribution he can make between now and until he retires,” Littleproud told Nine’s Today program on Sunday.

“So we’re all going to be talking to Barnaby. We want to make sure that his input is as valuable as anyone else’s within our caucus.”

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The national leader said Joyce had not tendered his resignation from the party.

Joyce said his relationship with the Coalition’s junior party had soured after he was demoted to the backbenchers in the last election.

“I am now free to consider all options for what to do next,” Joyce said in a letter to branch members.

“The atmosphere in the party hall where I sit at the farthest corner of the coalition means that I have been seen and now I have become a discordant note.

“This is not who I want to be.”

He said the debate over net-zero emissions, which he has called for the coalition to eliminate, was a sticking point.

On Sunday, Littleproud said he wanted to speak to Joyce about his contributions to policy.

“I will reach out and have a chat and make sure he understands that he, along with the rest of us, will play a very important role in shaping the Coalition and helping to rebuild the Coalition,” Littleproud said.

“We need to make sure we are not just the party of protests, but a party that can govern the country and tell the Australian people that there is an alternative way of tackling climate change.”

Ahead of a party event in Tamworth on Saturday, Hanson said he had no plans to meet Joyce while he was in the electorate and said he would invite her to his party.

“I would do it, no problem. I made it clear last year, I was talking to Barnaby about it,” Hanson said.

“We are of the same opinion. Barnaby is actually more aligned with One Nation than the National Party. He was also shut down in the National Party. They put him in the back row, sidelined him.”

Liberal frontrunner Jonathon Duniam said switching to another political party in the current period would be disingenuous.

“I don’t think he intends to defect to another party as a Nat in Parliament, or at least sitting in the same party room as the National party. I think that would be unworkable,” he told Sky News.

“It’s one thing to move to One Nation, although he could continue to serve in Parliament. I think it’s important to respect those who take you dancing, and in this case it was the Nats.”

Education minister Jason Clare said he wished Joyce well if the statement was indicative of his impending retirement from politics.

“Not only the National Party but the Liberal Party are in a world that is suffering here at the moment,” he told Sky News.

“They have to decide whether they want to be Howard or Hanson, they will figure it out eventually, they always do.”

– Australian Associated Press contributed to this report