Mark Speakman resigns as NSW Liberal Party leader
Speakman’s resignation ends weeks of speculation about that leadership. Henskens had been asking MPs for support for weeks, but Sloane had refused to challenge for the job.
Centre-right MPs Chris Rath and James Wallace, as well as centre-right MP Scott Farlow, were seen entering Speakman’s office on Wednesday following the NSW Press Gallery’s annual event. This led to speculation that MPs were urging Speakman to fall on his sword.
But Speakman remained defiant on Thursday, insisting that “reports of my death are wildly exaggerated and I am here to fight.”
“The honorable thing for everyone to do is if they don’t trust me and think they can do a better job, they should come knock on my door and tell me,” he told 2GB.
Following a series of media interviews on Thursday, it emerged that Speakman had changed his mind. reporter, suddenly canceled
A delegation tasked with convincing Speakman to resign left around 1 p.m., but Speakman did not want to meet with them, citing media interactions, two party sources said.
Two Liberal sources said Speakman’s office had been taken over by a “bunker mentality” as MPs tried to persuade the Liberal leader to resign and staff locked his office doors.
But senior Liberals considered his departure a foregone conclusion. “It’s over. It’s over,” said one member of parliament.
A senior Right MP confirmed Henskens presented his leadership to Conservative MPs last week. Henskens told the room he believed the Liberals could do better and what he would do if given the leadership.
